Kerry Travellers Health & Community Development Project is a Community Development Project working across the whole of Co Kerry since 1996.  Our work is based on the recognition of the separate and distinct culture of the Traveller community, which informs all areas of work practice. We adopt a community development approach to all work.  This involves:-

  • On-going consultation with the Traveller community;
  • The involvement of the Traveller community assessing its own needs;
  • Developing the capacity of Travellers to be a part of the strategies, which address those needs;
  • Combating poverty and marginalisation.

 

Our Voluntary Management Committee includes members from both the Traveller and settled communities. We work hard to make sure that members of the community across the county are represented.

 

Kerry Travellers Health and Development Project has a number of teams that work together to meet the needs of the Traveller community in the county. These include:

 

Health Team / Health Action Zone

The Health Team is currently made up of 5 Traveller Community Health Workers, who are Travellers that have professional training and experience in providing health information, advice, and support to the community. In partnership with the HSE the team is part of a Health Action Zone.  The aim of the team’s work is:

  • Improvement in the general health knowledge of Travellers
  • Increase in community-based health initiatives to meet Travellers’ health needs
  • Increase in health-promoting behaviour among Travellers
  • Increase in Travellers’ awareness of Health Services and how to access them
  • Increase in Travellers’ uptake of Health Services
  • Enhancement in the delivery of health Services through increased awareness of Traveller-related issues within the Health Services, particularly among frontline staff
  • Development in partnership structures with the local community, Health Services and relevant stakeholders
  • Participation in the development of policy that affects Traveller health status

 

Community Development Team

There are currently 2 members of the Community Development team, and they have responsibility for community development work in all areas of the county. The team supports community groups and also participates in interagency work and policy development from local to national level. They support the community by offering advice, information and advocacy on the many issues that affect Travellers in the county. This includes

  • Accommodation
  • Education
  • Employment/ Enterprise
  • Social Welfare
  • Equality
  • Culture / Ethnicity
  • Conflict

 

The team also provides education and training opportunities through group work that builds skills to tackle these issues, and to make changes that improve the lives of Travellers as a community.

 

Family Support Team

The Family Support Team is made up of a Family Support Coordinator and 2 Family Link workers. The team provide a safe space for parents / families to talk about their needs and concerns. The team provides one to one support as well as groupwork opportunities that help strengthen skills and experience of Traveller families to tackle the issues they are facing. The team can help set up a ‘Meitheal’ that brings all relevant services together in one place to support families.

Together with the Family Support worker families can choose which services and supports are best for them. Issues supported include:

  • Problems at School
  • Health conditions / Disabilities
  • Bereavement / loss
  • Children feeling down
  • Support with Local Authority and Services
  • Children’s rights
  • Parenting support
  • Challenging Racism / Discrimination

 

Peer Education

The Peer Education Team aims to support Traveller children to remain in school and achieve the best possible educational outcomes. The team works with parents and schools to overcome the obstacles faced by Traveller children in Primary and Post Primary Schools.

The team is made up of a coordinator, and 5 Traveller women who successfully completed a Certificate in Mentoring in Education at MTU Tralee. The team works part-time one day per week

 

Social Innovation

Kerry is home to a strong, skilled, and resilient Traveller community. As part of our commitment to building long‑term opportunities, we are developing a Traveller‑led Social Enterprise Programme — a new initiative led by Christina O’Brien, working part‑time to build the foundations of community enterprise in the county.This work is at an early stage, with no staff team yet, but a clear mission:
to create real pathways into training, employment, self‑employment, and community‑owned enterprise for Traveller families.

 

Staff and Voluntary Management Committee members

 

Management Committee Members 2026

  • Chairperson – Margaret-Rose Quilligan
  • Committee Member – Jane O’Brien
  • Committee Member – Bridget O’Brien
  • Committee Member – Jimmy Mulligan
  • Committee Member – Richard Walsh
  • Committee Member – Geraldine O’Meara
  • Committee Member – Dave Fitzgibbon

 

Staff Team

Management Team
  • CEO – Brigid Quilligan
  • Project Administrator – Siobhan O’Connor
  • Health Action Zone Coordinator – Andy Walker
  • Family Support Coordinator – Mary Boyne
  • Peer Education Coordinator – Christine Boland
  • Community Development Coordinator – Helena Clark
  • Social Innovation Coordinator – Christina Boland 

 

Traveller Community Health Workers
  • Bridget McCarthy – KTHCDP Mental Health Lead
  • Anita Quilligan,
  • Breda Quilligan,
  • Noreen Casey
  • Joanne Quilligan

 

Community Development Worker
  • Breda Quilligan

 

Family Link Workers
  • Chantelle O’Brien

 

Peer Education Workers
  • Rosemarie Quilligan
  • Caitriona McCarthy
  • Katie Coffey
  • Joanne Quilligan
  • Margaret Rose O’Brien

 

CE Community Link Workers
  • Khogaly Ali
  • Rita Foley

 

Resources

All-Ireland Traveller Health Study: http://www.dohc.ie/publications/traveller_health_study.html

Traveller Counselling Service: http://travellercounselling.ie/

European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland: http://www.eapn.ie/

European Network Against Racism: http://www.enar-eu.org/

Gay Travellers Support Group: http://lgbtpavee.yolasite.com/

Crosscare:http://www.crosscare.ie/

HSE Intercultural Guide(PDF): http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/Publications/SocialInclusion/InterculturalGuide/InterculturalGuide.html

REGIONAL SITES:

Traveller Visibility Group (Cork): tvgcork.ie

West Cork Traveller Centre : wctc.ie

Cork Traveller Women’s Network: ctwn.ie

Travellers of North Cork: tnc.ie

East Cork Travellers: eastcorktravellerproject.com