Irish Travellers in America

April 15, 2015 11:19 AM

Irish Travellers in America
I have been looking at existing literature and media regarding the small, very private Irish Traveller ethnic group in America.

Nowadays, they are generally represented as some sort of clandestine, itinerant element, thanks in part to an awful book and a poorly researched film.

But if you look back, there was a time when they were a well-regarded group of horse and mule traders that inspired fascinated coverage and a possible musical starring Jimmy Cagney.

Out of respect for their privacy, I have limited this project to existing work about the Travellers. But, seeing that they are consistently misrepresented by local law enforcement and media, I have written a helpful guide on how to write about Irish Travellers if you are a member of the media.

Role: writer

posted by maxsparber (4 comments total)

Have you read Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series at all? I believe The Renegades of Pern is what follows her fictionalization of the Irish Travelers. In case you are interested. :)
posted by jillithd at 10:25 AM on April 20, 2015

Also, I totally thought that movie link was going to point to "Snatch".
posted by jillithd at 10:27 AM on April 20, 2015

Snatch almost counts, since Brad Pitt is American.
posted by maxsparber at 11:15 AM on April 20, 2015

You know, I'm going to track down the Pern book. Thanks for suggesting it!
posted by maxsparber at 11:22 AM on April 29, 2015 [1 favorite]