Traveller Pride Week is a time to celebrate Traveller culture, history, and the contribution Travellers have made to Irish society. For Kieran Mongan, Donegal Local Development CLG’s Traveller Job Coach under the Special Initiative for Travellers (SIT) Programme, it’s also an opportunity to highlight what employment can mean for Travellers.
Kieran didn’t always see a clear path to employment. Like many in the Traveller community, opportunities weren’t always visible, and motivation was sometimes hard to find. That changed over time.
He began his career with the Donegal Travellers Project (DTP) before joining DLDC.
“DLDC was very good for me,” he says. “I came in, I split roles for a while, and then a second role came up under the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), and I was able to go full-time.”
Now working as a Traveller Job Coach, Kieran supports members of the Traveller community to find and secure employment, but his role goes far beyond just job searching.
From CV writing, interview preparation, and mock interviews, to supporting people with medical card forms, grant applications, and housing issues, Kieran meets people where they are.
“Today I could be doing medical card forms, tomorrow a grant application, the next day housing issues. It just depends,” he says. “A lot of that hasn’t got to do with employment directly, but it affects employment, and that’s why we work in those areas.”
He is clear about the barriers many still face before they even enter the workforce.
“There’s this attitude that Travellers don’t want to work. That’s wrong. Nearly every Traveller I’ve met wants to work; they just haven’t had the opportunity. If you’re a Traveller, why would you go into a place where you feel you have to hide who you are?”
Despite these challenges, Kieran is encouraged by the changes he’s seeing, particularly among younger Travellers. There is a growing appetite for training and a strong interest in pathways into employment.
DLDC’s Constructing Opportunities initiative, which provides construction taster courses has been especially well received. Kieran also noted an increased interest in Safe Pass training and business start-up support.
For Kieran, the motivation behind his work is simple: he sees the impact firsthand.
“It’s not just a tick-box for me. When I help someone get a job, I see their family directly benefiting from that. I see them being able to buy new clothes and get a car. People are happier in themselves. That’s what I like about it.”
He also speaks about what employment offers beyond a wage: “You realise the value of having work, the value of being able to put money into your own pocket. There’s a peace that comes with it. It’s something to be proud of.”
For anyone in the Traveller community who is thinking about employment but unsure where to start, Kieran’s message is simple:
“Go for it. It might not work out; not everything works out for everybody. Don’t let it knock you. Don’t let anyone tell you that you shouldn’t be doing it just because you’re a Traveller. Be proud. You are who you are. There’s nothing wrong with who you are.”