Irish Travellers (Nomadic people)

Irish Travellers (Irish: an lucht siúil, meaning the walking people), also known as Mincéirs (Shelta: Mincéirí) or Pavees, are a traditionally peripatetic indigenous ethno-cultural group originating in Ireland. They are predominantly English-speaking, though many also speak Shelta, a language of mixed English and Irish origin. The majority of Irish Travellers are Roman Catholic, the predominant religion in the Republic of Ireland. They are one of several groups identified as "Travellers" in the UK and Ireland. Irish Travellers have distinctive artistic traditions, some of which have influenced the broader cultural tapestry of Ireland. Irish Traveller music, known for its lively and virtuosic melodies, is a significant and influential part of Ireland’s musical landscape. Irish Travellers have certain clothing traditions which are distinct from those of the wider Irish population. Beady pockets for example are a feature of traditional Irish Traveller attire—flat, pocket-sized pouches characterised by intricate embroidery and beadwork. Despite sometimes being incorrectly referred to as "Gypsies", Irish Travellers are not genetically related to the Roma people, who are of Indo-Aryan origin. Genetic analysis has shown Irish Travellers to be of Irish extraction, and that they likely diverged from the settled Irish population in the 1600s, probably during the time of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Centuries of cultural isolation have led Travellers to become genetically distinct from the settled Irish. Traveller rights groups have long advocated for ethnic status from the Irish government, succeeding in 2017. Irish Traveller communities are located in Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. As of 2016, there were 32,302 Travellers within Ireland. They represent 0.7% of the total population of the Republic of Ireland. There are different estimates about the size of the total population of people with Traveller ancestry, because many people of Traveller descent do not declare themselves Travellers. The United Kingdom alone is believed to be home to up to 300,000 Roma and Traveller people (including Romanichal). The British Government considers Travellers resident in the UK to form part of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) community.