Now Ye're Talking - To a member of the Traveller Community

TravellerGirl

Honey Monster wrote: »

How can some travellers afford €100,000 cars without actually having employment? How do travellers make their money, I know that's a general question but I've never worked with one and I've had a lot of varying jobs.

Thank you.

This goes to the Travellers who have it - please give me some of it haha. I don't know where they get it but not all Travellers are rich. I'm one who ain't and I'm happy as I am.

MrWalsh

What do you think about the videos on YouTube where young (and not so young) traveller men "call each other out" and there seems to be a lot of threatening and bad language etc.. Ive often wondered how serious these videos are?

Cheensbo

Hi, thanks for doing AMA,

On the high suicide rate:
I recently stopped a young male traveller from committing suicide, he'd hanged himself but we got him down before the damage was done.

He was 23, he was having trouble with his wife and this was not his first attempt.

He was clearly having problems and when He came around while waiting for the ambulance he confided in us that he was unable to speak about it to anyone, and for him to be seen to seek professional help would have him shunned by his family and friends. He had tried to speak to his friends and he had just been told to cop on and man up...

What would you say to this young man?

And do you think that open speaking about mental health & other personal problems will ever be accepted in the traveller community?

To Elland Back

TravellerGirl wrote: »

I don't know because I don't ask. Thats private business

I'd agree that it would be private business if I asked how much a person earned. I just asked about 'how'. I'd be interested to see what sector travellers were engaged in (construction, scrap, property, livestock etc)

Firedance

Cheensbo wrote: »

Hi, thanks for doing AMA,

On the high suicide rate:
I recently stopped a young male traveller from committing suicide, he'd hanged himself but we got him down before the damage was done.

He was 23, he was having trouble with his wife and this was not his first attempt.

He was clearly having problems and when He came around while waiting for the ambulance he confided in us that he was unable to speak about it to anyone, and for him to be seen to seek help would have him shunned by his family and friends. He had tried to speak to his friends and he had just been told to cop on and man up...

What would you say to this young man?

And do you think that open speaking about mental health & other personal problems will ever be accepted in the traveller community?

This is a great thread, thanks for your honesty Traveller Girl. Just on the post above for anyone reading this who might feel they can't openly seek help Samaritans have a free to call number 116 123 or you can text them 087 2 60 90 90 and this allows you to talk in complete confidence.

Honey Monster

TravellerGirl wrote: »

This goes to the Travellers who have it - please give me some of it haha. I don't know where they get it but not all Travellers are rich. I'm one who ain't and I'm happy as I am.

It's just something I've always wondered. Oh well. Thanks, you're doing a great job.

How do you/and your community feel about Irish Water and the water protests?

Scruffy...The Janitor

If someone (in dublin anyway) does something disgusting, it would be quite common for them to be called "a knacker" do you think this is a sign of how casual discrimination against travellers has become?

Also would you be personally offended if you heard someone being called that even though it wasnt directed at you or anyone in the travelling community?

Mars Bar

Hi TravellerGirl. I live on a street renowned for it's traveller population and it has a bad rep. Our road almost splits in two with private houses like ours and our neighbours and the houses rented out by the council to the travellers.

Apart from perhaps 5-10 houses, a lot of the others are terribly kept and have been vandalised by the travelling community who have moved in to caravans elsewhere or in the driveways. Loads of houses have been boarded up and the gardens left to overgrow (I think 27 was the last count). Why does there appear to be a lack of respect among the community for housing and property?

Also, why don''t travellers park properly and not out in the middle of the road?!!!

Tina82

Hi TG,

Great idea for a thread. I myself am a settled woman in a relationship wit a traveller. I can honestly say I never experienced discrimination until I became involved in this relationship and unfortunately the discrimination came from my own people (settled community). I had a very close friend that was getting married and invited all our friends and their partners to her wedding however I was invited on my own incase my partner would cause trouble. I will never forget the hurt and embarrassment I felt. I remember when we first met and we wanted to go out for a drink together he would be very nervous going to a pub door incase he was refused and he didn't want to embarrass me. I will admit that their is a lot of cultural differences between us but 6 years later we're still together and its working for us.

TravellerGirl

Cheensbo wrote: »

Hi, thanks for doing AMA,

On the high suicide rate:
I recently stopped a young male traveller from committing suicide, he'd hanged himself but we got him down before the damage was done.

He was 23, he was having trouble with his wife and this was not his first attempt.

He was clearly having problems and when He came around while waiting for the ambulance he confided in us that he was unable to speak about it to anyone, and for him to be seen to seek professional help would have him shunned by his family and friends. He had tried to speak to his friends and he had just been told to cop on and man up...

What would you say to this young man?

And do you think that open speaking about mental health & other personal problems will ever be accepted in the traveller community?

Thats so sad. If he was my husband I'd beg him to talk to me and if not I'd book an appointment for him to see a counselor.
I hope that something changes and they have more people to talk openly to.

TravellerGirl

Tina82 wrote: »

Hi TG,

Great idea for a thread. I myself am a settled woman in a relationship wit a traveller. I can honestly say I never experienced discrimination until I became involved in this relationship and unfortunately the discrimination came from my own people (settled community). I had a very close friend that was getting married and invited all our friends and their partners to her wedding however I was invited on my own incase my partner would cause trouble. I will never forget the hurt and embarrassment I felt. I remember when we first met and we wanted to go out for a drink together he would be very nervous going to a pub door incase he was refused and he didn't want to embarrass me. I will admit that their is a lot of cultural differences between us but 6 years later we're still together and its working for us.

Well I'm happy that it has worked out for you. Yes I bet it was very embarrassing for both of you. I just hope that both of you sstay together and make your future. You sound like a lovely person.

TravellerGirl

Scruffy...The Janitor wrote: »

If someone (in dublin anyway) does something disgusting, it would be quite common for them to be called "a knacker" do you think this is a sign of how casual discrimination against travellers has become?

Also would you be personally offended if you heard someone being called that even though it wasnt directed at you or anyone in the travelling community?

Yes I would because its still a name travellers get called. Its not nice and its discrimination

MrWalsh

TravellerGirl, you are clearly intelligent and very articulate as well.

Would you consider doing a degree yourself and if not, why not?

Stheno

How did you meet your fiance and how come you are living together rather than married?

Is that not an unusual choice to make as a traveller?

dinorebel

Hope you don't think this is a rude question but does your fiance know you are doing this and if not how do you think he would feel about it?



Would also like to say thanks for doing this I've not had much interaction with travellers and what I have is a mix of good and bad(caught 2 trying to steal from my oil tank) and it's great to hear a different opinion.

TravellerGirl

MrWalsh wrote: »

TravellerGirl, you are clearly intelligent and very articulate as well.

Would you consider doing a degree yourself and if not, why not?

Thank you. I would but it would depend on what. I'm really into, hairdressing, beauty, special needs assistant and childcare.

TravellerGirl

Stheno wrote: »

How did you meet your fiance and how come you are living together rather than married?

Is that not an unusual choice to make as a traveller?

I knew my fiance the last 9 years and we are together the last two years. We went through an awful lot with my family.

TravellerGirl

dinorebel wrote: »

Hope you don't think this is a rude question but does your fiance know you are doing this and if not how do you think he would feel about it?



Would also like to say thanks for doing this I've not had much interaction with travellers and what I have is a mix of good and bad(caught 2 trying to steal from my oil tank) and it's great to hear a different opinion.

He does know I have been on here commenting but I havent been fully hhonest about it.

Your welcome I hope I done good.

Call me Al

Well done for coming onboard to answer all these questions!

is there much awareness and discussion of domestic violence within the travelling community? I know the rates are higher than the settled community, so what would you put this down to? What usually happens if there is a problem in a marriage? Would a woman interact with the courts for a barring order? Or is this handled by the community itself?

Also, the life expectancy of traveller women is on average 12 years shorter than for women in the settled community. Is there much awareness of this fact amongst the women within the travelling community?

Big Nasty

IMO the settled community would be a whole lot more open to accepting travellers if a high (higher than settled) proportion of your community were not as prone to stealing, fighting and treating the countryside like a tip.

What do you think is needed to change some travellers attitude to the above? Education?

JP Liz V1

Do you work or does your partner work?

Stheno

TravellerGirl wrote: »

I knew my fiance the last 9 years and we are together the last two years. We went through an awful lot with my family.

Do you mean you went through an awful lot when you moved in together?

mikom

TravellerGirl, are either yourself or your partner in paid employment currently.

If not, what do ye see as your future prospects for earning a living?

_Brian

_Brian wrote: »

Really enjoying this thread.
Thanks for answering questions.

What do you think stops the well behaved travellers from reporting the criminal element among the community.
I feel this would go a good way towards increasing acceptance that not all travellers are criminals.

TravellerGirl wrote: »

Because you don't want to get involved in other peoples business. There would be very big feuds if that happened.

Thanks for the answer..
But there is such a high perception of criminal activity, this results in the opinion of not being able to trust any travelers. Does this not make it everyone's business ?

In any society if everyone turns a blind eye then the criminal among us are allowed run amock and so ruin any possibility of fair play.

I think this is a major flaw in the general thinking, the criminal elements among us need to be exposed and isolated so that the law abiding can flourish - settled and traveller alike !

Sam Mac

TravellerGirl wrote: »

I want six myself but if I have more Iwould be happy. My parents only had 4 kids and my partner has nine siblings.

No I live on private ground.

How did you come to this number? Why so many? Also, how do you plan to raise 6+ kids for 18 years or more in a caravan?

coldcake

Why are halting sites so badly cared for? The one in our community has all the roofs gone from the utility units and there is rubbish strewn all over the surrounding fields.

MrWalsh

coldcake wrote: »

Why are halting sites so badly cared for? The one in our community has all the roofs gone from the utility units and there is rubbish strewn all over the surrounding fields.

Theres one in my area like that, and a couple of miles away there is one that is like a show estate, with beautifully kept hanging baskets, statues, flowers, old style lampposts (obviously installed at occupants expense - nothing the council would provide!). Vast difference.

efb

Hi,

I find this insitful, I used be a boxing ref so interacted with the traveller and settled community a bit there. Some good lass some cheeky like the settled folk

Are you pround of people like Andy Lee 's achievement as a guy with traveller heratige

Sam Mac

TravellerGirl wrote: »

No. Your parents, grandparents etc have to be travellers.

A very exclusive club then.