An Irish traveller has revealed she isn’t allowed to go on holiday until she is married and said most women in her community don’t ever get a job in a series of revealing TikTok videos about her lifestyle.
Caitlin, 20, who lives in a caravan near Hertfordshire, has garnered 114k followers after sharing clips about life as an Irish traveller alongside her sister Lizzy, 18, on the social media platform.
In one video, Caitlin revealed: ‘I feel like one out of 100 traveller women actually have a job and go to work, because they mostly leave it down to the husbands.
‘We don’t really go to work. I know people that have been to work.’
Caitlin, 20, who lives in a caravan near Hertfordshire, has gained thousands of social media followers after revealing an insight into her life as an Irish traveller on TikTok
The youngster often shares videos with her young sister Lizzy, 18, in which they offer glimpses into their fashion, home and lifestyle
Starting the series, Caitlin explained: ‘We never realised how interested non-travellers are in the travelling community.
‘If you have any questions about us travellers, we’ll give you as much detail as we can give you.’
Meanwhile 18-year-old Lizzy added: ‘We’ll do it from our experience and what we know, because everyone’s different and how they grew up, how they were raised.’
Meanwhile Caitlin, who has finished primary school, secondary school and is now in college, has even offered followers tours of the caravan where she will live with her family until she is married.
The sisters often invite their online followers to send in questions to learn more about the travelling lifestyle
In one video she explained: ‘I finished primary school, secondary school, I’m in college right now, I completed all my GCSES.
‘Some will go to school, some won’t, but it’s more common for them to not go to school.
‘I think it just depends on the family whether they want to send them to school. Most likely no because that’s not the line of work that traveller boys or girls go down.’
Meanwhile in another clip she said she had lived in a house for ‘over a decade’, adding: ‘We’ve been living in this site for seven years.’
In clips shared online, Caitlin revealed she is currently in college but said many women in her community don’t work
The 20-year-old was also keen to dispel myths about Irish travellers marrying at a young age, saying: ‘Everyone assumes all travellers get married at 14 or 15. Some do get married at 14 or 15, maybe not 14, maybe 15. Some get married 18, 19, 20, you can get married at 25.
‘But it’s more common to get married in your teenage years. And it all depends on when you meet them.
‘Some get married two months after they know them, or five years after they know them. You can’t put a time to a person.’
When she does get married, Caitlin will be allowed to go on holiday for the first time without her parents.
Meanwhile she also offered a tour of the caravan where she has lived for the past seven years, saying she had previously lived in a house for a decade
In another clip, the sisters said they ‘are not allowed to go on holiday’ unless they are married or with their family
She said: ‘As Irish girls we’re not allowed to go on holiday until we’re married, or with our family. Obviously there’s different circumstances.
‘If we were allowed, I’d be gone every year. You’re not allowed that until you’re married, or with your family. It’s a big no.’
Her educational videos about her lifestyle have have racked up thousands of likes and comments, with some people praising her home and her fashion.
Her educational videos about her lifestyle have have racked up thousands of likes and comments, with some people praising her home and her fashion
One person said: ‘You are the literally the two nicest travellers I’ve seen on here, so nice and informative.’
Someone else wrote: ‘Ignore them haters hun you’re amazing.’
A third added: ‘You should not get any hate babe! Your unreal! And your home is perf.’