"Stick with it because it's worth it in the end"
by Liam Cosgrove
The Leaving Certificate brought joy and in some cases anguish to households throughout the county last week. As attention swept to the projected 5,000 students nationwide who were left contemplating their next move, Longford siblings Christine and David Reilly were busy celebrating their own results and plotting their next moves towards third level qualifications.
Both Christine and David, who are members from Longford’s Travelling Community, are rightly proud of their exam results. Travellers’ organisations are continually urging young Travellers to continue with their education in order to increase their career opportunities. As such, Longford Traveller Movement is keen to highlight David and Christine’s success in their exams.
David, however, is not yearning for any additional praise but is instead keeping his focus firmly entrenched on securing a place on his first choice course - Business and Computers in Athlone Institute of Technology.
“I was a bit surprised I did that well,” he replied with a brief shrug of the shoulders. “I found the studying hard alright and to keep concentrated. Business would have been my favourite. I hope to Business and Computers in Athlone. I did the exams in Templemichael College. I thought the business was interesting and I liked it a lot.”
David explained just how he managed to complete the biggest State exam in Ireland alongside hundreds of thousands of his peers, a feat which now looks like paying off with his college place all but secured.
“I don’t really know what I want to do just yet. I was at the college for five years. I’m glad it’s over now. It wasn’t hard for me, it was easy enough,” David glibly confessed.
A key component in David and Christine’s recent success has been the result of a close affiliation with the Longford Traveller Movement on the town’s Great Water Street. Having decided to remain in mainstream studies, both David and Christine have profited immensely from the experience.
“I come in here most days and teach myself to type. I would come in here to revise because it’s kind of noisy at home. It helped me a good bit,” he confided.
As co-ordinator of the small yet welcoming organisation, Fionnuala Spillane outlined the role both she and her colleagues at the Longford Traveller Movement have played in the overall development of David and Christine as they prepare for third level studies.
“They have been coming in since they started their Leaving Cert here. They were invited to come in and visit us just to see if there was any support that Longford Traveller Movement could offer because we are delighted that they are Travellers that are doing the Leaving Cert. They are not the only two doing the Leaving Cert this year as there are some doing their exams through Youthreach. We just try to encourage mainstream participation in education so David and Christine started coming in and doing work experience,” Fionnuala commented.
The ability of the movement to assist members of the Travelling community in accessing and more importantly remaining in second level education rests on an ‘after school project’, the aim of which is to foster greater ties between the community and schoolwork at large.
“The after school project shifted from the library over to the office here. David and Christine started going and we had seven young people in that. It’s our second year running the after school project. We have had funding from the St Stephen’s Green Trust.
It’s homework support but it’s also about providing a positive education experience. Some of the children get on really well in school and they don’t have any bother. Other kids are having a disaster and what we do is provide an environment where looking at books isn’t traumatic. They are in a very Traveller friendly environment here and that’s hugely important,” she explained.
Sitting perched on the beige coloured walls as you enter the office are a small compilation of Traveller related images. Overviews and depictions of what others have achieved is a prerequisite at the offices which has worked extremely well according to Fionnuala.
“We also generally have a religious picture or pictures up because religion is very strong in the Traveller community. It wouldn’t be my preference but it’s important that people see that up on the wall coming in. The young people seem to be responding to that. We did a special trip away for the after school club to Tanagh (Monaghan) Outdoor Adventure Centre. We have to spoil them so that we can encourage as many other Travellers as possible to come in and get the support,” she added.
As for her young protege, David, his message to other young Travellers looking to better their future opportunities couldn’t be clearer: “Stick with it because it’s worth it in the end.”
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Weather for Longford, Ireland
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 5 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 5 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 5 mph
Wind direction: North west
