Research Findings
(Continued)
Phone interviews with professionals who work with Travellers
The following question (question 7) was put to 11 professional workers:
"In Traveller families who own horses children are less likely to get involved in crime or drugs." Do you agree with this statement?
The answers given, and the reasons for the answer, are set out in the table below
| Agree 100% | Yes to a certain degree | Not sure | Not inclined to agree | Definitely not |
| 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Reasons why people agreed with the statement to a certain degree
The general consensus was that if Traveller children are spending their time caring for and playing with horses, then like any children, whether Traveller or settled they are less likely to become involved in crime or drug activities as their time is filled with a healthy activity. Also, according to some of those who answered, it provides a physical outlet for the children involved.
Here are a few examples of the answers that were given:
"Horses keep young male Travellers occupied and this promotes a healthy outlet in their lives and fills up a lot of their day with training, feeding etc."
"I would agree that Traveller children, the same as settled children, would be less likely as their time is spent with horses or other pets"
"If young people are occupied by hobbies they are less likely to become involved in anti-social behaviour"
Reasons offered by people who answered that they were not sure
Here the consensus was that there is no evidence to suggest that this statement is true. However, those who gave this answer agreed in their opinion that horses were a big part of Travellers’ lives and that if they were with their horses then they were less likely to be involved in crime or drug activities.
Here are some examples of what was said:
"I am not sure, there is no evidence to suggest this, but horses are a healthy activity and they promote health and exercise and if Travellers don’t have horses what else is there"
"It is difficult to agree as there is no evidence to suggest this but horses are a big part of their culture and there is a vacuum in Travellers lives caused by the fading influence of horses which is being replaced by the need for material gain".
Conclusions
The conclusions drawn from this study are as follows:
- Horses are a large part of the Traveller culture.
- On average the children and young adults of those families interviewed spent over eighteen hours per week with their horses.
- Apart from the fact that the children used up their time in caring for their horses, it also provided a valuable opportunity for outdoor physical activity.
- The social activities available to Travellers are limited, and Travellers face daily obstacles in trying to access the same level of social and sporting activities which the settled community take for granted.
- 12 out of 14 parents identified drugs as a problem facing young people today. 9 out of 14 identified alcohol as a problem. 8 out of 14 identified crime as a problem. These responses highlight the degree of Travellers’ awareness of these threats, and their acceptance that young Travellers are at risk of deviant behaviour just as their settled counterparts are.
There is strong evidence that a young Traveller growing up in a horse-owning family is less at risk of becoming involved in drugs and crime. Recommendations
The findings of the Fritzsche report (2000) show how difficult it is for Travellers to rent land for horses. It might have been expected in the wake of that report that Cork Corporation and all other relevant public bodies would be more sympathetic towards Traveller horse owners. The Control of Horses Act was originally set up to tackle the issue of urban cowboys but has ended up discriminating against Travellers. Horses are a vital part of the social and economic life of Travellers. To rob Travellers of a potential income and a way of life would be a grave injustice. The recommendations of the study reflect this. They are as follows:
- From the evidence gained in the study it is safe to say that horses do play a major role in young Travellers’ lives. The Local Authorities and all other relevant public bodies should look at the fact that horses have already put in place an effective diversionary youth project which just needs to be nurtured and developed to enhance it even further.
- There is also the cultural argument which suggests that support from local government should be forthcoming to enable Travellers to continue and develop the tradition of horse breeding and dealing, bearing in mind the difficulties they experience in trying to become part of mainstream social and sporting activities.
- The Equality Act of 1998 recognises the ethnicity of Travellers. However they suffer discrimination in many areas of their lives, and laws and regulations are imposed that directly prohibit or inhibit Travellers ability to preserve their culture. Government policy should be designed to support and enable Travellers to continue the age-old tradition of horse breeding and dealing.
Bibliography
Fritzsche, Philipp 2000, The Extent of Traveller Horse Owners’ Opportunities to Rent Land from Farmers. Traveller Visibility Group, Cork.
Gilligan, R. 2000, "Promoting Resilience in Children in Foster Care".
In Kelly, G. and Gilligan, R. (eds.) Issues in Foster Care. Jessica Kinsgley, London.
MacLaughlin, Jim 1995, Travellers and Ireland, whose country, whose history. Cork University Press, Cork.
Government of Ireland 1995, Report of the Task Force on the Travelling Community. Stationery Office, Dublin.
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