AN Irish traveller woman has opened up about the realities of being married to an English gypsy.
And she maintained that while she and her man share many similarities, they also have major differences, and that he would correct her if she called him a traveller.
Heidi McDonagh Clee has made a name for herself on social media talking about her and her family’s lifestyle.
And she’s gone viral many times, with her popular “traveller/gypsy woman” series sharing an insight into how women from their communities react to certain things.
But recently Heidi, who shares videos about her life on her TikTok account @h.mccc, was forced to clarify the difference between a traveller and a gypsy.
And when doing so, she drew on her and her husband to make her point.
In a video, Heidi explained: “So, when I post videos on TikTok and I say traveller/ Gypsy woman doing whatever, what I’m referring to is we are all ultimately similar in some way, shape, or form.”
However, she went on to say that both communities also have their differences.
The mum-of-two continued: “Now which way do I refer to myself? As a traveller/ Gypsy? Definitely not!
“I am, in all ways, shapes, forms and mannerisms, a traveller. An Irish traveller.
“My husband, on the other hand, is an English gypsy.”
She later added that if she were to call her husband a traveller, he would probably stop her.
Heidi wrote: “If I called him a traveller, he’d be fast to correct me.”
Typically, Gypsies is a term used to describe Romani people, who migrated to Europe from India.
They also have their own language, which Heidi said her husband speaks, although he would identify as an English gypsy.
Meanwhile, traveller refers to a group of people who usually have either Irish, Scottish or English heritage.
But Heidi said that their kids are being brought up using both of their backgrounds and roots.
Heidi explained: “Children, though, are going to be the best of both. They’re half and half.
“But my own self is an Irish traveller, and he’s an English gypsy.”
And it didn’t take long for her 32k followers to comment on what she’d said, as they revealed they could completely empathise.
One person wrote: “I agree. I’d never call myself a traveller, I’m a gypsy.
“My sister’s husband is an Irish traveller, he’d never be called a gypsy, he’d be offended.”
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A second social media user added: “I agree there is a difference and I wouldn’t call myself a traveller – I’m a gypsy.”
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