What could architecture look like if it reflected the nomadic way of life? Groundbreaking Sámi artist and architect Joar Nango in conversation about his creative practice. 

Presented by the Irish Architecture Foundation in partnership with Misleór Festival of Nomadic Cultures.

We’re on the road again! Misleór is heading to Ballinasloe Fair with our installation of wooden horses made from recycled materials. Get creative with paper flower-making, beady pockets, horseshoe painting and more!

11am-1pm: Tinsmithing

Live demonstrations and discussions with traditional tinsmith Tom McDonnell and friends.

12-3pm: Traveller Shorts (Misleór Outdoor Cinema)

Special selection of short films celebrating custodianship, diversity and resilience within the Traveller community. 

2-5pm: Live Music

Come down to the Misleór stage to enjoy a very special line-up of singers and musicians. Hosted by the local talent and rising star PJ Mongan. 

2pm: Paddy Keenan
Born in Trim, Co. Meath, Paddy Keenan hails from a musical Traveller family with deep uilleann piping roots.His flowing, open-fingered technique was influenced by his father’s and grandfather’s style.

3pm: Kathleen Keenan

Coming from a family of musicians, Kathleen Keenan is an accomplished singer-songwriter who has been performing from an early age, and recently released her first album ‘Beautiful Angels’.

3.45pm: Janos Lang + Marius Otves

Experience the vibrant spirit of Roma music with fiddle players Janos Lang and Marius Otves. Together, they offer a dynamic showcase of the rich fiddle styles from Hungary, Romania, and Transylvania, taking you on a captivating journey into the heart of Roma culture.  

4.15pm: Francis Ward

Francis Ward is a talented young singer and guitarist from the local Traveller community, who recently won the Music Award at the National Traveller Pride Awards alongside fellow musician PJ Mongan.

4.40pm: Margaret Carr

Margaret Carr is a talented singer from the local Traveller community in Ballinasloe. Last year Margaret was one of four Traveller women singers who collaborated with Australian Aboriginal artist Jessie Lloyd as part of the project ‘Chant Yil Lull’.

The GAFF presents the world premiere of its short documentary film, Knuck & Knuckle. Lee Reeves' story is a gripping tale of how a young Limerick man uses his love of boxing to overcome the pain of losing his mother to suicide. Having turned his grief into an energy that became his route to recovery and survival, Reeves is now a keen advocate for boxing and sport, as tools for positive mental health for young men, particularly those from the Irish Traveller community where suicide rates are seven times higher than average. Known professionally as El Champo, he is currently the NABF light welterweight champion in North America. With music artist Willzee in the role of interviewer, Knuck & Knuckle holds appeal for young people over the age of 15, particularly those struggling to cope with grief. Directed by Sean Horgan and Ellie Marron. Produced by Frank McCarthy and Monica Spencer.

Screening will be followed by Q+A with artists Frank McCarthy and Willzee, and boxer Lee Reeves, as well as a live demonstration of ‘Paint Punch’ by members of the Galway Boxing Club. Inspired by young Travellers’ love of boxing, artist Frank McCarthy developed ‘Paint Punch’ - a new approach to painting and creativity through boxing!

Content warning: this film contains references to suicide.

Recommended ages 16+

Oein DeBhairduin and Nora Corcoran weave storytelling and ancient wisdom into an interactive talk and workshop on traditional Traveller herbalism and healing. Learn about foraging, gathering and healthy custodianship of the land, and get creative with traditional dyes and cording - all materials provided!

Places limited - booking essential!

Máhccan - Homecoming is set in the changing world of museums and deals with the repatriation of cultural objects to their original owners. In 2021, the National Museum of Finland returned thousands of everyday objects taken from the Sámi people to the Sámi Museum Siida. Filmmaker Suvi West takes the audience behind the scenes of the museum world, revealing a visual, philosophical, and spiritual realm. She seeks a connection with ancestors through old museum objects, eventually arriving at the collective pain points of the Sámi people. How can the damage caused by outsiders be repaired so that collective pains can be left behind?

Screening followed by online (live) Q+A with Sámi filmmaker Suvi West, hosted by Oein DeBhairduin - Inclusive Histories Curator of Traveller Culture at the National Museum of Ireland.

How do we ensure that indigenous, nomadic and minority filmmakers are empowered to tell their own stories on screen? And how do we ensure that those filmmakers and their communities maintain ownership of these stories? 

In a special presentation from Liisa Holmberg, we hear the story of the International Sámi Film Institute (ISFI) and the role it has played in building a new generation of Sámi filmmakers.

Liisa Holmberg, a former film commissioner at the ISFI, is currently the Managing Director of the Arctic Indigenous Film Fund (AIFF). Established in 2018, AIFF supports Indigenous filmmakers in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Sápmi, and Russia through funding, networking and capacity-building programs. Holmberg is a Sámi filmmaker who originally comes from the Finnish side of Sámiland. Since 1994, she has worked in the film business as a producer, production manager and film consultant. 

This session will be chaired by Catherine Joyce, with contributions from special guest speakers Dr Rosaleen McDonagh, Joshua Donoghue and Ethan Donoghue. Supported by the National Talent Academy for Film & Television

An immersive audio experience to celebrate Stories and Songs of the Road Vol. 1: a cassette tape made in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, capturing vibrant insights and performances by members of the local Traveller community in Galway. Presented in partnership with the Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA), this event will also feature a discussion with family members of those featured on the cassette, and will launch its release online as part of the ITMA Collections. 

Join us ‘on the road’ as we welcome our guest artists and light the fire for Misleór 2024.

RSVP with our opening event ‘Stories and Songs of The Road’.

Online workshop and dialogue space exploring this year’s festival theme - Custodians: Keepers of Culture. Facilitated by Catherine Joyce, this event is reserved exclusively for members of nomadic communities.

This space is created to increase participation and input from nomadic voices. Facilitated by Catherine Joyce, a Traveller woman and advocate for Traveller Human Rights, this event is exclusively for members of nomadic communities. Your contributions will also feed into our Friday event, “Custodianship of our Stories on Screen.”

This year’s theme, “Custodians - Keepers of Culture,” celebrates the guardians of music, song, dance, stories, skills, and knowledge within the nomadic tradition. We will explore cultural rights, repatriation of cultural materials, and reclaiming narratives.

We value your contribution.

RSVP online here.

Email events@gtmtrav.ie for more information.