Sindy Joyce has officially become the first Traveller in Ireland to receive a PhD

She's such an impressive woman.

This week The University of Limerick celebrated the graduation of 1,715 students during its annual Winter Conferring Ceremonies.  Included in this are 67 students who were conferred with PhD awards. Among the graduates this week was Dr Sindy Joyce; human rights activist and doctoral graduate of the Department of Sociology, University of Limerick.  Dr Joyce is the first Traveller in Ireland to graduate with a PhD. Dr Joyce’s PhD thesis examines how young Travellers’ movements through, access to and use of public and commercial urban space are shaped by their ethnicity and by anti-Traveller racism. Through ethnographic analysis, Dr Joyce’s work illuminates the physical and socially constructed boundaries that young Travellers encounter in urban spaces and highlights the agency of young Travellers, who have developed a range of tactics to negotiate boundaries and the risks associated with traversing them.

"Today is a day of mixed emotions for me. On the one hand, I’m really proud to be the first in the Mincéir (Traveller) community to receive a doctorate, but on the other, It’s kind of sad that it’s taken until 2019 for it to happen." - Dr @SindyLJoyce #ULGraduation pic.twitter.com/tmEjTCrV1a

— University Of Limerick (@UL) January 15, 2019

Martin Collins, Co Director Pavee Point, congratulated Dr Sindy Joyce on her incredible academic achievement. “The research that Sindy Joyce carried out for her Doctorate gives important visibility to the Traveller perspective, in this case the perspective of young Travellers in Galway." "Travellers, down through the years, have often been researched and documented – but usually by people outside our community.  It is an important step for Travellers that we have our own academics who can decide what is important from a research point of view – and what is ethical in carrying out this research." "Sindy Joyce, on a personal level, is a great role model and an inspiration.  Her hard work and determination in her studies shows that all Travellers are missing are the opportunities to succeed. "

Great achievement by @SindyLJoyce in graduating with her PhD from Sociology Department @UL https://t.co/viYGTblP7J #TravellerEducation pic.twitter.com/14XYXHMArT

— Pavee Point (@PaveePoint) January 15, 2019

“The Irish Traveller Movement is delighted to pay tribute to Sindy Joyce, PHD for her outstanding achievement. This PHD compliments her reputation as a committed human rights defender and passionate educationalist, whose community is to the forefront of her focus." "Given her ongoing research interests she is a deserved education ambassador especially for anyone who advocates for equality through the difficult lens of experience.” During the course of her studies at UL, Dr Joyce was awarded a number of competitive awards, including an Irish Research Council postgraduate scholarship, and the University of Limerick FAHSS Dean’s Scholarship, and AHSS Registrar’s Scholarship Award. University of Limerick also conferred Honorary Doctorates on Limerick rock band The Cranberries, rock star, humanitarian and activist Bob Geldof and best-selling author Marian Keyes.