February NUI Galway Celebrates Irish Traveller Ethnicity Day

NUI Galway recently welcomed members of the travelling community to the Access to Nursing and Midwifery Workshop to mark the Irish Traveller ethnicity celebrations. The workshop was held ahead of Irish Traveller Ethnicity Day which takes place annually on 1 March. 

Irish Traveller Ethnicity Day marks the anniversary of Travellers gaining ethnic status, while celebrating Travellers culture and heritage including music, craft traditions and language. The aim of the workshop was to introduce the Nursing and Midwifery programmes, Pathways to University, and other student supports available at NUI Galway to the members of the Irish travelling community. 

The Access to Nursing and Midwifery Workshop was organised by Owen Mac an Bhaird, a Professional Master of Education student at the University, in partnership with NUI Galway’s Access Programmes Office, School of Nursing and Midwifery, as well as the Office of the Vice President for Equality and Diversity. This initiative was funded by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Fund. 

NUI Galway’s Dr Bróna Mooney and Bernard McCarthy gave an overview of General Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, and Midwifery Programmes and a Nursing and Midwifery Skills demonstration. Mature Students Officer, Trish Bourke outlined the pathways available to access third-level education, while highlighting the strong network of supports for the student body that are available at NUI Galway. 

Owen Mac an Bhaird said: “The main objective of this workshop is to empower members of the travelling community to enter third level education, while being encouraged and supported by NUI Galway. As a direct result from the workshop, five members of the travelling community have begun the process of student registration for the academic year 2019/20.”