A Development of a TY Module which Celebrates Traveller Heritage,
Course: B.Sc. In Education (Design Graphics and Construction)
with Particular Emphasis of Traveller Caravan Woodcraft
Introduction
Travellers are an ethnic minority in Ireland and have
lived on the margins of mainstream Irish society for
centuries . Due to discrimination and traditional
values many Traveller children do not finish
secondary level education in Ireland. In 2015 only
13% of Traveller children finished second level
education in Ireland, compared to the 90% of the
general population. This leads to the question is
there enough being done to encourage Traveller
students to complete their second level education?
Aims and Objectives
The aim of this dissertation is to develop a TY
module which celebrates Traveller heritage, and
utilizes traditional caravan woodcraft methods in an
intercultural based learning environment.
The objectives are to:
 Conduct a literature review on the history and
heritage of the Irish Traveller and develop a
comprehensive account of traditional and
contemporary caravan woodcraft techniques in
Ireland.
 Investigate intercultural education in Ireland and
the effect it has on the holistic development of
students from the travelling community.
 Develop a TY module, in the context of a
traditional caravan woodcraft project, based on
guidelines by the NCCA, which efficiently
promotes an intercultural learning environment.
Research Methodology
The research conducted for this dissertation is
secondary research.
Analysis/Findings
This research found that Irish Travellers, traditionally,
are an itinerant ethnic group who maintain a strong
and unique culture. In general their lives revolved
around the use of the family caravan moving from
different locations for work. The bow top style
caravan was most commonly used for this purpose,
due to its lightweight design, as seen below.
In the past, Travellers were highly discriminated in
education and were often segregated from others. In
recent years the Irish State has adopted an
intercultural attitude towards education, so much so, Dr. Pauline Logue Collins, Dr. Susan Rogers, Staff of
that in 2017 they made a formal recognition of Irish
Travellers as an indigenous ethnic minority. Following library.
an investigation of the TY programme in the context
of traveller education, it was found that traveller
people would benefit from the course as they could
celebrate their heritage in a stimulating learning
environment.
Student: Stephen Duffy
Supervisor: Dr. Pauline Logue Collins
Conclusion and Recommendations
 Prior knowledge in the subjects of Materials
Technology (Wood), Technical Graphics and
Mathematics is a requirement.
 The proposed TY caravan woodcraft module
consists of twenty hours class contact time.
 The module can incorporate the different subject
areas such as MTW, TG, Mathematics, Home
Economics, Art, History and Physics, along with a
diary journal for progression through the
construction process as well as key learnings.
Acknowledgements
Galway Traveller Movement and the staff of the GMIT
References
Brennan, J., 2015. Independent.ie. [Online]
Available at: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/report-says-just-13pc-of-traveller-children-finish-secondary-school-34147971.html [Accessed 04 10 2017].
Keefe, A., 2016. National Geographic. [Online]
Available at: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/proof/2016/08/irish-travellers-uphold-the-traditions-of-a-bygone-world/ [Accessed 9 October 2017].