A new book celebrating the voices and creativity of children from the Traveller community as launched at SETU’s Summerhill Road campus in Wexford.
‘STARgazers: Terrific Tales and Tremendous Triumph’ is a unique collection of stories, original artworks, and an innovative audio experience that showcases the diverse experiences and perspectives of young people from the Traveller community.
The project, which was funded by SETU through the Programme for Access To Higher Education (PATH) funding, was created by the children with the support of the Supporting Traveller and Roma in Education (STAR) project and children’s author Caroline Busher. Each story is accompanied by artwork created by the children, reflecting their own personal experiences, dreams, and cultural heritage.
As a nod to the Traveller community’s strong oral tradition of storytelling, readers can scan a QR code on each page to hear audio recordings of the children narrating their own stories. This inclusive feature enhances accessibility and allows the stories to be experienced in a way that honours how they have traditionally been shared through generations.
Aisling McHugh, Access Officer at SETU, said,
“We’re proud to support initiatives like this through PATH 5 funding that reflect our values of inclusivity and diversity. It has given these young people a platform to share who they are in their own words. It follows on from our successful PATH Funded Reading Pen project, improving literacy and making reading accessible for traveller children, and it’s success has led to a follow-on PATH Project to engage children in STAR Schools in music and storytelling workshops. We are delighted that this PATH 5 funded project, in collaboration with NTRIS and STAR Schools in Wexford is a celebration of voice, culture, community and engagement.
Ahead of the launch, several of the young authors were interviewed on South East Radio, where they discussed their involvement in the project. Live readings from the children and an exhibition of their artworks marked the launch at the Summerhill Road campus. Their work, and the accompanying artworks, have also been exhibited at the Wexford County Council Offices and will continue to travel across local libraries in the region.
Paula Doyle, National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy Co-Ordinator at STAR, commented,
"The project has been such a success with contributions from 48 students across the six schools with 39 students complimenting their stories with audio versions. The audio of the stories have really brought these young voices to life giving a window into their distinctive culture and heritage."
The book is now available at all Wexford libraries, including mobile services, and across all SETU campuses.