President visits Traveller-led project celebrating the community’s traditions and superstitions
Culture

President visits Traveller-led project celebrating the community’s traditions and superstitions

PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins has enjoyed a sneak preview of a new art project which has been designed and led by the Traveller community in Ireland.

The Pisreóg Project sought to “collect, document, and celebrate Pisreóga, superstitions, beliefs and traditions of the Traveller community”.

Santana O'Donnell is pictured in front of Paper Flowers by artist Brigit McDonnell, which is part of The Pisreóg Project

It has been spearheaded by the St. Margaret’s Community Traveller Association in Dublin’s Ballymun and the local creative community centre Axis.

The joint project has received support from Creative Ireland, the Department of Health’s Healthy Ireland Programme, the HSE and Ireland’s Arts Council.

Oein de Bhardúin ties the cord of St. Philomena onto President Higgins' wrist, as the creators of The Pisreóg Project welcomed the President for a special preview of their work

“The Pisreóg Project is a Traveller designed and led project that seeks to collect, document, and celebrate Pisreóga, superstitions, beliefs and traditions of the Traveller Community in Ballymun and the variances within these from family to family and from county to county,” the organisers explain.

“These will be celebrated and shared in a variety of creative ways, including a calendar of pisreóga, printed and shared online, a glossary of pisreóga and a glossary of Gammon-Cant terms connected to these pisreóga.”

Pictured at the event, Sabina Higgins chats with Ellie Stokes, Moll McDonagh as they showcased The Pisreóg Project

This week President Higgins went along to Axis Ballymun with wife Sabina, to help launch what is Ireland’s first official Traveller-led art project.

At the centre the pair were treated to a sneak preview of the artwork.