Watch Video of the Story of Missie Collins
Honary Degree of Doctor of Science Awarded to Ms Missie Collins
On Thursday 5th September 2024, Healthcare activist Ms Missie Collins received a UCD Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science for her valued contributions to the UCD led All-island Traveller Health Study and decades-long track record of advocacy for the Traveller community. To mark the occasion, Prof Cecily Kelleher, College Principal UCD College of Health and Agricultural Sciences, recorded a fireside chat with Missie to discuss her life and activism.
Healthcare activist Ms Missie Collins received a UCD Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science for her valued contributions to the UCD led All-island Traveller Health Study and decades-long track record of advocacy for the Traveller community .
A mother of eight, the achievements of Ms Collins and her colleagues in Pavee Point include the official recognition of the ethnicity of Travellers by the Irish Government in March 2017.
As an Irish Traveller, she has spent more than 30 years challenging health inequalities faced by her community, and has played a vital role at local and national level to help ensure health authorities consider the needs of the Travellers.
She has helped establish more than 40 Traveller Health projects throughout Ireland, and was instrumental in the creation of the UCD led All-island Traveller Health Study – which provided a framework for policy development and practice in relation to Traveller health and included a census survey of 40,000 Travellers on the Island of Ireland.
“She exemplifies what we mean by community development… A tireless campaigner, Missie receives this award in recognition of a lifetime of public service achievement on behalf of her community and as an exemplar for healthcare delivery more generally.” Cecily, Kelleher, Full Professor of Public Health Medicine & Epidemiology and Principal of College of Health and Agricultural Sciences.