Travellers of Ireland and Cork City Travellers of Ireland The Traveller community is one in transition. There were almost 38,000 Travellers living in Ireland in 2022, accounting for 0.7% of the national population. This means that the Traveller community in Ireland has grown by 12% since 2011, faster than the national population growth rate of 8%. There was also a 22% increase in the number of Traveller households over the same period. There were an average of 4 people living within every Traveller home in Ireland in 2022. This is almost 1.5 times higher than the number of people living in homes amongst the general population, where there was an average of 2.7 people living in each home. The Traveller community in Ireland is also a very young one. The average age of a Traveller in Ireland was 27 in 2022. In the wider population, the average age was 39. The Census also revealed that 15% of Travellers had a significant, long-lasting medical condition in 2022. This is nearly twice the proportion seen in the wider population. Historically, Travellers were a rural based population that lived a nomadic life. In the Census 2022, it was clear that most Travellers now lived in standard, permanent housing. Understanding this change in lifestyle and way of living at both national and local scales have been an essential part of the making of this new TAP. Travellers Living in Cork City In 2022, there were 1,442 Travellers living in 381 private households in Cork City. There was an average 3.8 people living in each home, which was slightly smaller than the national Traveller average household size of 4 people.
In 2022, almost three quarters (74%) of Travellers living in Council supported or assisted accommodation were living in standard housing. This reflects the national trend of Travellers living in permanent forms of accommodation. Travellers in Cork City generally were also much younger on average than the wider population. This aligns with national trends.
Having studied the Traveller population for Ireland and Cork City, we have found that:
The Traveller population is increasing both locally and nationally, and faster than that of the wider population.
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More people live together in Traveller homes than in homes generally.
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The Traveller community is younger than the general population, with much fewer people over the age of 50. In Cork City, Travellers are mostly living in standard, permanent housing – not at halting or transient sites. Travellers experience almost twice as much significant and long-lasting health conditions than members of the general population.
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Cork City Council | Traveller Accommodation Programme 2025-2029
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