‘I’m a teen traveller and give up faculty to scrub – there’s strict guidelines to comply with’
Zoe Lynch has lifted the lid on what it’s really like being a traveller in the modern age after she ditched school at 13 to commit to a life of housework and sunbeds.
Hailing from Naas, County Kildare in Ireland, Zoe, 19, was raised with strict rules and values from an early age. After marrying Tom Delaney, also 19, last year, she swapped the family home for caravan life in Tipperary, Ireland.
The young bride takes her role as a full-time housewife seriously while hubby Tom brings home the bacon to cover their costs. In keeping with the norms of her community, Zoe prides herself on maintaining a glammed-up appearance, sporting a tan, perfect lashes, and on-point hairdos.
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The teen is adamant that, should she have a daughter, she’d pass down the same code of conduct. Speaking candidly, Zoe said: “I got married at 18 and people are surprised by the young age, but in our community some people marry as young as 14.”
She continued, expressing gratitude for her husband’s provision: “My husband provides everything for me.”
“I dropped out of school at 13, and it’s common to drop out at that age or younger.” Zoe explained, noting the lack of educational history in her ancestry: “Some don’t go at all – none of our grandparents were educated.”
One of the non-negotiables Zoe adhered to was abstaining from alcohol and cigarettes pre-marriage, branding such behaviour as “disrespectful”.
She revealed that even married couples are not allowed to go on group holidays with friends, adding: “If you go on holiday, it’s with your husband or your family.”
Sleepovers with anyone outside of the family are also strictly forbidden. Zoe’s own childhood was marked by significant domestic responsibilities, leaving school at 13 to take care of the household and learning to cook and clean from the age of eight.
According to the rules she was raised with, women are expected to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for guests, offering them tea and food. She adheres to a rigorous daily cleaning routine, using bleach to ensure a spotless home for her husband Tom’s return from work.
Additionally, she feels pressure to maintain a polished appearance, not just for her husband but also for the rest of the community. Zoe explained: “The way we dress and look is different to non-travellers.”
This includes distinctive hairstyles, makeup, and beauty routines, with a strong emphasis on sunbed use to achieve a desirable tan.
She estimated that around 90 per cent of the traveller community uses sunbeds, highlighting the importance of appearance within the culture.
Despite the strict traditional rules governing her life, Zoe expressed her intention to raise her own children in a similar manner, stating: “Looking around me, we all do the same thing so the way we live is normal to us.”
She added: “If I had a child, I’d give them the same rules.”
Zoe sees these rules as a continuation of a long-standing tradition, saying: “These rules have gone on for years and years.”
