President joins mourners in Navan as 'noble soul' Michael McDonagh is laid to rest

President Michael D Higgins attended the funeral yesterday (Tuesday) of Michael McDonagh, tireless campaigner for Travellers rights, manager of Meath Travellers Workshop and former peacekeeper.

Michael, of Reask Court, Navan died on Saturday morning and was buried in St Joseph's Cemetery, Dundalk following mass in St Mary's Church, Navan.

“He was a non judgemental man who transformed hostility to hospitality,” said chief concelebrant. Fr Michael McCullough CM.

Michael McDonagh was the driving force behind the establishment of Meath Travellers Workshop which provided opportunities for many Travellers to complete training courses, learn traditional skills, learn about and take pride in the Traveller customs, values and way of life.

The workshop has grown and developed over time, but the core principles still remain the betterment of the Traveller community.

Michael represented Traveller views at national level and was a highly respected voice for the Traveller community. He featured in various documentaries and talk shows including the Late Late Show and was part of the cast of the television production The Blood of the Travellers which won an (Irish Film and Television Award) IFTA award and he was also nominated for an IFTA award for his participation in ‘John Connors, The Travellers.’

He was described as a “noble soul and a man of God” by chief concelebrant, Fr Michael McCullough CM.

“Michael McDonagh exercised a ministry of inclusion and affirmation,” he said.

He recalled Michael’s service in the army and as a peacekeeper.

“As a peacekeeper he delighted in walking in the footsteps of an itinerant preacher from Nazareth.”

Fr McCullough said Michael and Nell - his wife of 45 years - were a team and their family honours them in every way with the values they instilled in them.

A graduate of NUI, Maynooth, Michael’s latest project was a genealogy project with Meath County Library that looked at the history of Traveller families over the years. He was passionate about tracing families and making connections and links between townlands that had been home to Traveller families down through the years.

Michael worked on a prison links project with his wife Nell where they listened to and supported Travellers in prison and aided them on their release.

Michael in his work as Manager of Meath Travellers workshop has been responsible for many positive developments for the Traveller Community both at local and national level. He worked behind the scenes for many years to achieve ethnic status for Irish Travellers which came to pass in March 2017.

“Michaels’s legacy will live on in the work being done by Meath Travellers Workshop,” said Marina Cuningham deputy manager of Meath Travellers Workshop.

“Michael was a true gentleman, and we were lucky to know him,” she said.

Catherine Joyce, chair of Meath Travellers Workshop said that in Michael’s short life, he had made a significant contribution to Irish society and the Traveller Community.

“He served in the army and as a peacekeeper in the Lebanon, as generations of Travellers have done.

“It is important to remember not just his contribution to Traveller life, but to wider society.

“He will be sadly missed from the Library project he has been involved in and from Meath Travellers Workshop.

“We hope we will be able to build on his positive work.

“We are pleased by the attendance of President Higgins at his funeral today,” she said.

)An expert on Traveller history and culture, Michael and his wife Nell shared a passion for the retention of Traveller and Roma identity.

He was a founder and board member on national and international organisations including Minceir Misle; the National Council for Travelling People; the Traveller Prison Initiative Steering Group, and chairperson of the National Traveller Partnership.

The Travellers’ Voice magazine, paying tribute, said: “Michael was a great advocate of the Traveller community and a tireless worker for the progression of Traveller rights throughout his life and career. Michael was a renowned storyteller and custodian of Traveller history and culture, ensuring the Traveller ways of life from years past were understood and celebrated by the younger generations.”

His coffin was draped in the Irish flag and the colours of the UN peacekeeping forces.

Among the symbols of his life presented at the altar were his army beret and medals, a photograph of four generations of his family who served in the army and a crucifix blessed by Saint John Paul whom he met a number of times.

Michael is survived by his wife, Ellen (Nell), children Nathanya, Stephen, Laura, Marie and Mícheal, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, sons-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.