In addition, the society is forging positive relationships and alliances between Irish Traveller students and the student and staff body at this University.
Founded in April 2018, The Mincéirs Whiden Society is the first Indigenous Student Society in Ireland. Please see the following link to the Society's Origins; https://doi.org/10.13025/tyk3-py89
The society's main aim is to increase Irish Traveller participation in third-level education while providing a safe and welcoming space on campus. We also focus on promoting Irish Traveller Culture and Identity within the University of Galway. We also offer a peer-to-peer support service for our people. Indeed, our society is the hub for this university's Indigenous and Nomadic people. We also have space for allies to learn about our people and culture where we all rejoice together.
Only 1% of the Irish Travellers hold a third-level qualification, with just 9% of Irish Traveller children completing the Leaving certificate compared to 86% of the settled population. These statistics can be referred to in the following Economic and Social Research Institute Report; Watson, D., Kenny, O. and McGinnity, F., 2017. A Social Portrait of Travellers in Ireland. RESEARCH SERIES NUMBER 56. [online] Dublin: ERSI, pp.1 - 111. Available at: [Accessed 17 January 2017]. We aim to significantly increase these figures by encouraging Irish Traveller enrolment into university while motivating and supporting us Irish Travellers throughout our academic journey. This will be done in pair with promoting Mincéir Culture and Identity within the University and promoting our heroes.
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Below is an overview of our recent achievements:
2022 National Best Society Award (Cultural, Academic, Social) [32 County Award]
2022 NUI Galway Best Society Award (Cultural, Academic, Social)
2020 NUI Galway Best New Society
The following are DOI links to our published documents:
2022 The ratified Galway John Classroom Naming Proposal:
https://doi.org/10.13025/Q4NC-6E94
2022 National Best Society Application;Â
https://doi.org/10.13025/v65c-8d96
2021 Mincéirs Whiden Society Founding Document;Â
https://doi.org/10.13025/tyk3-py89
Please see a link to the following book, which contains lots of information on our local (Mincéir/Irish) history;
https://www.cambridgescholars.com/product/9781443811248
Members are notified by email. We have weekly Tea & Coffee Socials with free food during the Academic Year. We also have monthly committee meetings with events taking place in addition to the committee meetings and coffee mornings. We also have members' meetings, including our AGMs and EGMs.
We can be contacted by our Facebook page or by email at minceirswhiden@socs.nuigalway.ie
Notice for Researchers;
Please note that we do not respond to queries for research. If desirable, we recommend emailing a National or local Irish Traveller Movement for this request.
