Traveller recipes to savour in groundbreaking new Laois book

Laois Travellers have broken new ground in Laois with the publication of a new cookbook featuring local recipes.

Laois Traveller Action Group (LTAG) launched their first ever Traveller Cookbook on Tuesday, December 17 at Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise.

Women within the Laois community worked hard over the last six months to produce this book which is full of traditional, everyday, hearty recipes, stories of times gone by and photos of the women as they cooked the meals.

Jules Fitzpatrick, Community Development Worker at LTAG who headed up the traveller cookbook project in LTAG gave a speech at the official launch and thanked Laois Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) Community Education Department who worked collaboratively on this project.

Ms Fitzpatrick also thanked Laois Partnership for the hire of the kitchen and to all the board members and staff of LTAG for their ongoing support. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Pictured: Members and board members of Laois Traveller Action Group (LTAG) and Laois Traveller Women at the launch.

More than anything, Ms Fitzpatrick thanked the eleven traveller women who gave their all to this book, who captured the heart and soul of their traditions, recalling the ways of many years ago, sharing recipes that are welcome in any household’

Noreen Donoghue, one of the eleven traveller women featured in the cookery book, spoke about being involved in the Laois Traveller Action Women’s Group for the past six years.

She said it has enabled her and many women to take part in many courses including crafts, wellbeing, cooking, mental health and much, much more.

"To say we were nervous was an understatement. We though – how will we do it? It will never work, we won’t have it done in time, but we were wrong", said Ms Donoghue. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

PICTURED: Laois Traveller Women who feature in the first ever LaoisTraveller Cookbook pictured with their children and grandchildren at the launch in Dunamaise Theatre, Portlaoise on Tuesday 17th December.

She thanked the LOETB, LTAG, Ryan Dunne, communications tutor, Ann Devitt and Janice as well as Olga from Laois flower embroidery for designing the log and making their aprons and to note-taker Katlyn Hamil. Thanking Jules Fitzpatrick, she noted that the project would not have been possible without her. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Pictured: Members and board members of Laois Traveller Action Group (LTAG) and Laois Traveller Women at the launch.

If anyone would like a copy of the book, limited copies are available at the Laois Traveller Action Group office in Portlaoise, located at Bridge Street, Portlaoise.