Senator Eileen Flynn (30), the first Traveller woman in the Oireachtas, is proud of her identity. Having grown up in Labre Park – the oldest Traveller housing site in the State – in Ballyfermot, she has neither a Ballyfermot nor a Dublin accent. “Anywhere I’d go out in Dublin, if anyone asked where I was from I’d say I was from Kilkenny because of the country accent. I’d never say I was from Dublin because of being recognised as a Traveller and being refused [into public premises]. She has been an activist for more than a decade, working with the Irish Traveller Movement, the National Traveller Women’s Forum and Ballyfermot Traveller Action Programme, and campaigned on housing, marriage equality, abortion rights and anti-racism issues throughout.

Source: The Irish Times July 03, 2020 15:00 UTC