Forum Meeting!

Hey all, any progress on us all meeting up? i'd be more than happy to facilitate it here in the midlands if it was easier for a bigger crowd to come! i think in a confedential private setting initially it might be easier for the guy's and gals that are still a bit Uncertain to come along and see that we are all genuine and have/had faced similar problems to them!

Be great to see everyone and put a face behind the forum!

I'd be in to meeting up too. I was delighted to meet Hanu at the protest on 10th. It'd be great to meet others from the forum. It can be a hard thing to meet up, especially for people who face difficulties in coming out. Breaking the isolation is good for the soul. More of this sort of thing!

brilliant, i'm up for organising it for the end of janurary maybe? If there's enough interest we'll talk location

I think it is important to go ahead with a meeting even if we have very few people present for the first one. It is about holding a space, even for members who for whatever reason can't go, it is good for them to know it is there.

The end of January is good for me. It gives time to get it together. You reckon the midlands is the centre of the universe eh Pavee Prince? It might be handy as a central place. I'm a recent defector from the midlands to the west so I know where the true centre lies! lol

It's great to see meeting up on the agenda. This is important for Forum members but also for the wider Traveller Community and Gay Community to see Gay Travellers getting organised.

just a suggestion but i'm more than happy to travel too, i.ll go where ever the crowds goin. Yeah be great too meet up and chat

im up 4 it

Prince - your a star! Was having a little difficulty stirring a few of the members, especially the off line ones but as minstrel (great to meet you too!) said even if its a small gathering its still a great thing! The members are spread out so a centralised location seems like the most practical of ideas. il def. make sure my late jan is free for this!

perfect, i.ll post the exact date monday and see how many can make it.

excellent! pavee, i admire you organisational talants!

Im up 4 this! I know one of the girls from this site was on to me a little while ago about this and i wasnt ovrly intrestd. Feck it tho ya gotta take the first step sooner or later!

Count me in! Tho i thnk ill bring a mate for some support if thats okay

This meeting up business is really exciting. I meant to post the link below before but the computer regularly eats my best ideas (it couldn't be my lack of skills surely).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEGClLPlJ5Y

I particularly like the reflections from Nuala and Marese about the scene in Galway many years ago. I think there is learning for the Gay Traveller Forum in it, in terms of the reason we are trying to put good support in place for each other. Getting together is for fun and social reasons and it is also about breaking the isolation that has killed some of the people who should be joining us.

Happy Solstice and enjoy your celebrations of whatever you do this time of year. Be careful, because the xmas-joy myth doesn't become reality in every home. In fact the xmas-disaster can be more common. Sometimes drink can be a tempting companion to get through but now you've got options, you got the gathering in Jan to look forward to and many others over the coming years.

I'm a happily collapsed Catholic and although I know about the solstice etc, haven't managed to 'celebrate' anything spiritually since recovering from the Catholic doing I got as a young un. I like to have a day of total indulgence on 25th (& any other day I get a chance) - give in and have a lovely day.

Stafa tapa hu

the video from youtube is great! im sure we can learn a lot from it!! im stayin at my grans tonight so wel be litin the candles and waitin for dawn. gotta make the wren for the young 1s latr 2 for st.stephans and ready to burn my bad shoes! lol happy winter solstice too!

fantastic video Minstrel, my heart goes out to everyone who was involved in the march, v brave . Groundbreaking. Love it

Excellent Clips!

Being a Galway man myself I can be seen in glimpse though it

I think we can learn a lot from such experiences, the gathering of resources, realistic expectations to begin with, the creation of many good things when honest voices refuse to go silently into the night, the recognition of belonging to the community even when we go unnoticed or denied.

Here's to better days!