The fifth annual Traveller Pride Awards have taken place, with recipients including an emerging actor, a sociology PhD student and a senior county soccer captain.

The awards mark the start of the nationwide Traveller Pride Week and Irish Traveller Movement director Brigid Quiligan said they offered an opportunity to reflect on the question of Traveller pride and “why it is so important to promote and protect”.

Actor David Essex, musician Christy Moore, as well as broadcasters Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh and Norah Casey were among those who presented awards in the seven categories.

Ms Quiligan said the events allow Travellers and settled people to embrace and promote Traveller culture in areas such as sport, culture and community. The awards “allow us to shine a light on the contribution that the winners have made despite so many challenges,” she added

Speaking at the awards ceremony in the Rotunda hospital today, she told younger members of the audience to “always remember who you are. Be proud of who you are, you come from a people with a unique history”.

Moore paid tribute to the contribution made by Travellers to Irish traditional music. “There’s such a great tradition of music in the travelling community,” he said, adding that they kept the oral tradition alive and thereby saved “so many songs”.

Referring to issues such as low life expectancy and educational achievement within the Traveller community, he said “the position of the travelling people in Irish society is a scandal and a settled person would be ashamed of it”.

The winners of this year’s Traveller Pride Awards were:

* enterprise and employment award: Pavee Point Primary Healthcare

* community award: Julia and Kathleen Sweeney

* youth award: Christipher Hand

* arts and culture: Martin Mahon

* sports: David McCarthy

* music: Pamela, Sandra and Mary Jessica Corcoran (3T)

* education: Sindy Joyce