Crown beoir is a portrait exhibition originated by artist Breda Mayock and photographed by Orla Sloyan, at Courtyard Gallery at the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life. 

This exhibition is part of a fascinating Mayo arts project entitled Crown - Hair and Identity, which focuses on Traveller/Mincéiri women and girls and the subject of how hair is intrinsically linked to identity, ethnicity, culture and gender. 
 
The exhibition and film name draws from the Traveller language Gammon-Cant, with beoir meaning woman. The portraits in this exhibition quietly explore and celebrate the unique aesthetic expression of Traveller women from Mayo Traveller Support Group. 

The short film features Traveller/Micéirí women whose portraits are shown in the exhibition. In the film they discuss their connection to their hair, its appearance and care as well as important memories, traditions and associations with their hair as an expression of their unique Traveller identity. 

Irish Travellers or Mincéirí are an indigenous ethnic minority group who have been part of Irish society for centuries. Travellers share traditions, cultural values, language and customs that make them a distinct ethnic group. Many Traveller women have a unique aesthetic expression. 
 
Crown - Hair and Identity is originated by artist Breda Mayock who worked with Traveller women and girls in the Maple Youth Centre, Ballinrobe, and Mayo Traveller Support Group. She worked with photographer Orla Sloyan to photograph the women with a special emphasis placed on their hair.

To learn more about this project, visit www.crowncloseup.ie.

Breda was supported in this project by Creative Ireland Mayo, Mayo County Council Arts Service and the Healthy Ireland Fund. 

Crown beoir is presented in tandem with its sister exhibition Crown lakeen, which focuses on the girls who participated in the project and takes place at the Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar. 

This unique photography exhibition opened on 5 October 2020 at the Courtyard Gallery (next to the Museum café) and continues into early 2021. 

This exhibition has now closed but you can still view much of the content of this exhibition online