Beggars

Menas

In about 1998 there was a beggar I passed every morning on o'connell bridge. He used to sit on a piece of cardboard, be barefoot and rock to and fro like he was mentally disabled.
I used to give him some change most mornings.

But one day I was in the mobile phone shop opposite stephens green centre and he was in there buying an accessory for a mobile phone. Mobiles were expensive back then and not so common as now.

So, since then I dont give cash to beggars but do still give some money every christmas to St V de P...mind you...I hear that they dont exactly spend their money wisely either....so hard to know.

Timberrrrrrrr

Timberrrrrrrr wrote: »

Amazing how many people have witnessed this phenomenon, you would think they would be careful after being spotted the first 20 or 30,000 times :rolleyes:

A well-educated adult with two university degrees once told me, with a completely sincere face, that the Roma women wear loose-fitting dresses so they can hide all their gold up their skirts.

I do believe that there is organised begging among the Roma, but the amount of exaggeration about their supposed empire of small change is what's really ridiculous.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

A well-educated adult with two university degrees once told me, with a completely sincere face, that the Roma women wear loose-fitting dresses so they can hide all their gold up their skirts.

I do believe that there is organised begging among the Roma, but the amount of exaggeration about their supposed empire of small change is what's really ridiculous.

A Roma woman mugged me when I was 17, and when my mom came to collect me from the Garda station, the guard told my mom the exact same thing about the floaty skirts

SMJSF

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote:

A well-educated adult with two university degrees once told me, with a completely sincere face, that the Roma women wear loose-fitting dresses so they can hide all their gold up their skirts.

I've always wondered why they never wear trousers!
Do the buggy compartments not hold it?:P

hatrickpatrick

TheLastMohican wrote: »

I may be wrong ........ but I was under the impression that there is a welfare net that stops people falling into dire straits like begging for food etc. Many years ago I worked a soup run in London and over there there was a pattern to homelessness ......... you were either young and naive, or were suddenly up against insurmountable problems or were feeble minded/suffering from some kind of mental disorder or just plain lazy. However, there was temporary housing for everyone ...... if you knew how to go about it. Most of the street people knew that but some would rather take their chance than cop on for a few months and get registered.

The Nuns in Ladbroke Grove did a 3 course lunch for £0.15 back in 1986. OK take inflation into account ........ it must be £1.50 now. A few soup & sandwich runs and you had three square meals a day. If you lived in a squat, you had no bills and few worries. If you lived in a B&B, the government paid your bill.
Most of the attendees at the midnight soup run knew the score but would fuck up one way or another ....... generally due to lack of self control. The raucous laughter heard around the fire in bomb sites would warm the heart of any cynic.

And yet in Ireland we're demolishing run-down but serviceable blocks of social housing apartments and replacing them with individual houses on the same site, often reducing the amount of units available by 30-50%. Madness.

edward2222

edward2222 wrote: »

Whenever I see some beggars,
pending coffee is thing that will usually pooped in my mind.

Those pending coffees are a bit of a scam, cafés trying to appeal to the hipsters. I mean, they don't do anything except sell more coffee and appear right on.

Remember what seemed like a father and child huddled up in very cold weather at about 6 am outside a Paris metro station, a very distressing sight.

diusmr8a504cvk

Deleted User wrote: »

Those pending coffees are a bit of a scam, cafés trying to appeal to the hipsters. I mean, they don't do anything except sell more coffee and appear right on.

Remember what seemed like a father and child huddled up in very cold weather at about 6 am outside a Paris metro station, a very distressing sight.

Unless you gave them a thousand euro, a 5 course meal and your house I wouldn't tell any personal stories about seeing beggars on this thread. Look at the first page or two of this thread for example.

TireeTerror

For me the most annoying type of beggar are the people in Supermarkets offering to pack my bags. I literally HATE any type of charity fund raising. They are almost ALL a complete and utter scam, lining the pockets of fat cats. I know this from personal experience as I was offered to run a collections team and I was presented with all of the figures showing how the funds raised were being divided up. Less than 8% was actually going to the charity, the rest was marketing fees and costs.

Sure there are probably loads of small local groups requiring funds and find offering to pack my bags in the local supermarket a great way to earn money. However I do not want to give them money. I also do not want to have a guilt trip forced on me because I refuse. Tesco's in Sligo has them in all the time and whenever I see them I avoid any till with them at it. I would rather put my shopping down and go to Lidl or Aldi than face them. Fund raising by waving buckets about etc should be banned completely. You cant go down a city centre street these days without some annoying fcuker waving something in your face trying to get money. I wont even start on about the ones who jump about in a "Im your best friend!" hyper active manner. A swift kick straight in the crotch is the best way to deal with these vermin who seem determined to harass everyone passing.

TireeTerror

Caiden Beautiful Orangutan wrote: »

Unless you gave them a thousand euro, a 5 course meal and your house I wouldn't tell any personal stories about seeing beggars on this thread. Look at the first page or two of this thread for example.

Why are you linking to this same thread? doh.

diusmr8a504cvk

Linking to the first page.

One More Toy

Only gave money to a homeless person myself

An Irish guy huddled up in a blanket at St. Stephens Green Luas stop, felt so sad for the fella, he was just there with a cup, not hassling anyone like you would see others. I was going through a shít time myself; I thought fcuk it Ill throw him my change which was 2.50 or so. He was very appreciative.

Hard to paint them all with the one brush, you will have your obvious junkies, and your romas, but there are also decent folk just looking to eat too

snubbleste

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

I do believe that there is organised begging among the Roma, but the amount of exaggeration about their supposed empire of small change is what's really ridiculous.

‘The majority of begging in Dublin city centre is organised’

thomur

Gave 3 euro to a guy in Phibsborough today and he walked past me as I was waiting for the lights and he went straight into the bookies. I felt it was a waste but then if that's what he wants to do with it its his choice. Cant be an easy life

Ruu

A few odd ones, on two occasions I gave some change to a fellow who needed to make up 5 euro. I only had 50c so I gave him that. He gestured in a way that he still did have enough, pointing at his handful of coins and looking angrily at me. I spoke loudly and plainly saying that was all the change I had and he left.

Another chap asked in German (I found out later), I cut him off and he switched to very well spoken English to see if I could spare change. Told him no, he smiled and told me to have a wonderful day...

I've gotten food for the odd person as well, one was really surprised that I come back out of the sandwich shop to look for him after he had wandered a bit up the street. One other lad in the same town, I got a slice of pizza said he was lactose intolerant.

TiGeR KiNgS

Athlone beggars

Beggar: Have you got any spare change ? .....

Me: No.

Beggar: Well **** ya anyway.

Me: walks off jingle jangle.

Means Of Escape

Bubbaclaus wrote: »

Beats me how someone can reach the stage of genuine homeless beggar in Ireland, given the generous welfare available.

Agree
Abject poverty is where a kid is rooting through bins for food
Calcutta or Rio spring to mind not Dublin
.

lotmc

If you genuinely want to help homeless people, give money (or better still get involved with) charities such as focus, svp, Simon, etc.

If you want to be a cog in the wheels of exploitation, criminality, drugs, alcoholism, human misery, gambling then appease your bleeding heart by giving money to beggars. It might make you feel good, but you are incentivising and rewarding all of the above.

yermanoffthetv

TheLastMohican wrote: »

I may be wrong ........ but I was under the impression that there is a welfare net that stops people falling into dire straits like begging for food etc.

There is, although you need a permanent address for dole the HSE can issue immediate emergency payments to people via the community welfare officer. Its years since I worked there so the system has probably all changed now but I remember they were the ones that delt with the services and advice for people in that situation. There was a few state funded community groups in opperation back then but that was pre recession so god knows whats left.

Most homelessness from my experence was a result of drug and alcohol addiction and lack of mental health services. Many shelters are dry zones and some cant live without the drink even for a few hours. There was a few who were down on their luck, debts out of control, breakups, sleeping at a friends house or in cars etc, though they tended to get sorted out fairly quick as there normally wasnt the underlying problem of addiction.

If you genuinely want to help homeless people, give money (or better still get involved with) charities such as focus, svp, Simon, etc.

If you want to be a cog in the wheels of exploitation, criminality, drugs, alcoholism, human misery, gambling then appease your bleeding heart by giving money to beggars. It might make you feel good, but you are incentivising and rewarding all of the above.

^^^Spot on lotmc.

cazzer22

Be careful around Connolly Station, too. I was walking up the stairs on the left hand side and was walking quickly in a rush to catch the next train. I left my handbag open, stupidly as I would need to get change out of my wallet to pay for the train ticket when I got up the stairs. I for some reason turned around quickly to find a Roma woman right behind me and I literally mean RIGHT behind me (no gap) and she had her hand in my handbag. I shot her a look and she yanked her hand out and said 'Sorry,sorry' , pretended to be fixing her hair clip. We both got to the top of the stairs and she turned around and walked straight back down the stairs. Really shaken after it. If I hadn't turned around just at that second, she would've been away with the contents of my bag. Horrible to think about.

Spanish Eyes

There isn't any need for begging in this country. Our social supports are very good, and that includes charities funded in part by our taxes that support those who may not be in a position to access State supports.

As someone else said, it is not like Calcultta at all.

Homelessness will always be with us. But I cannot help it if a bed is there and someone refuses to take it because of this or that. Their choice, they don't need to be cold. There is a bed for everyone, but maybe not the one that they want.

Anyway, I'm fed up being tripped up by people with paper cups in my face everywhere I go now.

It's a bit of an industry now.

MightyMandarin

Caiden Beautiful Orangutan wrote: »

Unless you gave them a thousand euro, a 5 course meal and your house I wouldn't tell any personal stories about seeing beggars on this thread. Look at the first page or two of this thread for example.

Yeah ok mate, keep feeling sorry for yourself. Nobody ever said you had to do any of the above, yet you jumped straight into using hyperbole in order to make you look less of an eejit.

All that was said was that if you really felt bad for them, as you claimed, you would've offered them a bit of food or some spare change, but instead you didn't want to ruin your school trip by giving them a thought.

There's no harm in not offering them anything, or even feeling sorry for them -most people are like this- but stop with the bs sob-story acting like you really cared for them, because your actions clearly indicate otherwise.

srm23

Usually keep my headphones walking by them and look straight forwards.
Some of them will shout something like I know you can hear me - as if its their god given right to hassle me for change :rolleyes:

I remember when younger they would come up in town and try and intimidate looking for money if i had no change saying "oh go on then try your pocket there mate" etc trying to force me :rolleyes: these were probably the more junkie type of beggar.

Tony EH

There's good and bad, like all walks of life.

Years ago, I bumped into a man in his 40's who was on the streets. He said he hadn't eaten for a couple of days. I'd just got a pizza in Apache and said that he could take half. We sat outside Christ Church and ate the pizza.

He said that he'd ended up on the streets for about a year after his wife and him "had trouble". She and the two kids were still in the house. He said he left one day, because it had become "unbearable". He'd been picking spots around the city to sleep most nights. Cardboard was "his friend".

I didn't press the issue.

Anyway, we finished up the pizza. I apologised and said I had no money, I was walking home. He said no worries, that the pizza helped greatly, thanked me and we parted ways.

That changed my opinion of beggars.

The Roma on the other hand, I wouldn't give them the steam off my piss, because with them it's a profession. In nearly every country I've been to in Europe, they operate a begging scam. In some places, like Paris, they're pretty blatant at how organised they are.

I have noticed that their numbers over here have dwindled. There used to be quite a few on Grafton Street. They probably got the hump after the paddies proved difficult and buggered off back to wherever.

corner of hells

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

There isn't any need for begging in this country. Our social supports are very good, and that includes charities funded in part by our taxes that support those who may not be in a position to access State supports.

As someone else said, it is not like Calcultta at all.

Homelessness will always be with us. But I cannot help it if a bed is there and someone refuses to take it because of this or that. Their choice, they don't need to be cold. There is a bed for everyone, but maybe not the one that they want.

Anyway, I'm fed up being tripped up by people with paper cups in my face everywhere I go now.

It's a bit of an industry now.

There isn't enough beds in the city for rough sleepers .Sleeping bags are being issued each night as nearly all One Night Only beds are filled each night.

Menas

cazzer22 wrote: »

Be careful around Connolly Station, too. I was walking up the stairs on the left hand side and was walking quickly in a rush to catch the next train. I left my handbag open, stupidly as I would need to get change out of my wallet to pay for the train ticket when I got up the stairs. I for some reason turned around quickly to find a Roma woman right behind me and I literally mean RIGHT behind me (no gap) and she had her hand in my handbag. I shot her a look and she yanked her hand out and said 'Sorry,sorry' , pretended to be fixing her hair clip. We both got to the top of the stairs and she turned around and walked straight back down the stairs. Really shaken after it. If I hadn't turned around just at that second, she would've been away with the contents of my bag. Horrible to think about.

Eh, what does that have to do with begging?!

whomitconcerns

zcorpian88 wrote: »

Not a big fan of the Romanian ones......there was a Romanian beggar

I guess you mean roma/gypsy...instead of Romanian....

Penny Tration

I don't give them money, bar one guy called Eddie who hung around the central bank, because he stopped me from being mugged when I was 15. I know he spends what I give him on drink and frankly, that's his choice.

I'll buy some of them food or a tea or coffee sometimes.

One girl came up to me at College Green one morning on my way to work. Clearly not homeless, had a spotless Nike tracksuit and runners on. Asked me for money for a sandwich. I said I'd no money on me but if she wanted to come to the spar around the corner, I'd use my card to get her a roll and a drink. She told me to fcuk off :pac:


In general, I just feel sorry for beggars. I don't like them, because the majority I see are not genuinely homeless, but I'd rather buy food for three unappreciative assholes and one genuine person, than not buy any at all.

Brock Turnpike

Links234 wrote: »

Go easy on them, they can't be choosers, or so I'm told...

Not true. I saw one in town many years ago with a sign saying "€1 coins only please."

snubbleste

snubbleste wrote: »

‘The majority of begging in Dublin city centre is organised’

Ha! Says Richard Guiney on the Journal. Come on. Richard Guiney has been on a PR crusade against beggars and homeless people for years.

mcko

Scum the lot of em, move them on,in Cork City last week a guy sitting under an ATM you had to lean over him to access the machine.I am sure the Gardai must have seen him as well.

Means Of Escape

mcko wrote: »

Scum the lot of em, move them on,in Cork City last week a guy sitting under an ATM you had to lean over him to access the machine.I am sure the Gardai must have seen him as well.

Lol

Pumpkin PJs Fan No.9

In Galway, there are some that are just chancers really. One girl in particular, who lately has been spotted hovering around the bus stops in Eyre Sq. and when she spots some unsuspecting soul getting their spare change ready for the bus... she pounces - like a smelly ninja! She has done it on countless occasions, but a Pumpkin never gives her any money.

the rudest part is: she never remembers who a Pumpkin is.
______________

"A very sexy Pumpkin!!"

AudreyHepburn

In most cases I just feel sorry for them....none of them were born on the streets and I am sure it is not the life any of them would have chosen for themselves if they had choice....things must have been horrible in their lives for them for that life to be the only option for them.

I wouldn't give them money, I'd be afraid they'd only drink it away and spend it on drugs. I'd rather buy them a sandwich or hot drink.

The Roma are completely different kettle of fish though....they should all be arrested and kicked out of the country.

Annasopra

Pumpkin PJs Fan No.9 wrote: »

In Galway, there are some that are just chancers really. One girl in particular, who lately has been spotted hovering around the bus stops in Eyre Sq. and when she spots some unsuspecting soul getting their spare change ready for the bus... she pounces - like a smelly ninja! She has done it on countless occasions, but a Pumpkin never gives her any money.

the rudest part is: she never remembers who a Pumpkin is.
______________

"A very sexy Pumpkin!!"

What?

Pumpkin PJs Fan No.9

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

What?

¿Qué?

A Pumpkin clearly has no idea?

____________

"Cough!"

ComfortKid

How come there is no beggers or homeless people outside the cities? That's where they will make the most money I suppose..

Ciaran_B

I was walking back into town from Croke Park after the matches on Sunday. There were 4 beggers inside about 50 metres on Jones Road. I recognised one of them from when I used to drive a van around town a few years ago. He used to operate outside Tara St Dart station and on the other side of the river outside the Custom House. I'd say he was 10 or 11 when I saw him first and he looked probably 19 on Sunday. Pretty sad really. Brought 1000's of miles to some strange county as a child and put out begging - still doing it as a adult. No opportunitys or anything.

cruais

Driving past pearse street train station the other day and just under the bridge there was an old man, white beard asleep in his sleeping bag. That tugged on my heart strings.

I used to always give money to the guy outside arnotts with the dog and rabbit but have heard lots of stories recently about him being aggressive etc so have stopped.

Every year at Christmas i do a big food shop in tesco (mainly own brands as its all i can afford). I factor in all ages, so sweets and crisps for the kids, right up to firelighters and shampoo for older people. i do up a few hampers and drop them in to the VDP. Last year i stopped.

Im sick of seeing on these selling pages on facebook etc, people selling the vouchers they receive from VDP etc. Its not on.

Menas

cruais wrote: »

Im sick of seeing on these selling pages on facebook etc, people selling the vouchers they receive from VDP etc. Its not on.

Yeah, the St VdP are getting a bad reputation at the moment. They seem to be a soft touch for less deserving people who just ask them for money/stuff.
I dont know how true that is, but it was enough for me to stop sending them an annual Christmas cheque.
I give to Simon community now.

kupus

Time for Roma to be shipped out en masse. The add nothing to the economy or welfare of Ireland.

There I've said it.
And you know deep in your own hearts a lot of you are thinking the same thing but don't dare say it because it doesn't seem or look right.

And I'll admit to it that it's not right. But a lot of choices in life are not nice.
But Roma are a problem. And the way to deal with it is deportation.

ComfortKid

ComfortKid wrote: »

How come there is no beggers or homeless people outside the cities? That's where they will make the most money I suppose..

or maybe... just maybe... urban living diminishes social bonds and relieves the social pressure on families to intervene. If you let your nephew sleep on the bridge in Bundoran or Borrisokane, the whole village would be aghast at your behaviour. Do that in Dublin, hardly anybody cares—firstly becomes almost nobody notices; secondly, because they hardly care: urban environments promote individualist behaviours.

Furthermore, urban environments create the conditions in which people with certain socioeconomic and genetic predispositions can become vulnerable, such as drug trafficking. There is very little availability for drugs in small rural towns because there is an insufficient potential market to justify the risk.

Basically, urban and rural environements just throw up different sets of problems.

People in urban environments partially accept higher incomes for increased exposure to crime & related behaviour. They offset these adverse exposures by secluding themselves in hamlets of relative peace if they can afford it, or by locking themselves behind heavy gates.

People in rural environments accept greater security & solidarity in exchange for lower incomes.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

VdP gave a family I know two handouts towards their rent and deposit, the rest of it was covered by a councillor in the town. Between the 2 vdp and the councillor they had their deposit and rent covered, they're far from being destitute either.

They also apparently help with court fines. I would rather go into pennies and buy hats and gloves and socks and give them to people in sleeping bags.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

or maybe... just maybe... urban living diminishes social bonds and relieves the social pressure on families to intervene. If you let your nephew sleep on the bridge in Bundoran or Borrisokane, the whole village would be aghast at your behaviour. Do that in Dublin, hardly anybody cares—firstly becomes almost nobody notices; secondly, because they hardly care.

Furthermore, urban environments create the conditions in which people with certain socioeconomic and genetic predispositions can become vulnerable, such as drug trafficking. There is very little availability for drugs in small rural towns because there is an insufficient potential market to justify the risk.

Basically, urban and rural environements just throw up different sets of problems.

People in urban environments partially accept higher incomes for increased exposure to crime & related behaviour. They offset these adverse exposures by secluding themselves in hamlets of relative peace.

People in rural environments accept greater security & solidarity in exchange for lower incomes.

There's only so much enabling you can do. If your nephew is stealing from you, leaving drug paraphernalia around your house where your kids are, constantly bringing trouble to your door, youd have him out on his ear under the nearest bridge and you'd be right. There's only so much help you can give someone who doesn't want help, and pandering and allowing them to carry on as they like, that's not doing anyone any good. Not you, not them. Doesn't matter what part of the country you're from

LexieOnRale

LexieOnRale wrote: »

There's only so much help you can give someone who doesn't want help, and pandering and allowing them to carry on as they like, that's not doing anyone any good. Not you, not them. Doesn't matter what part of the country you're from

Sure, I'm not justifying it, but these pressures are probably very real.

I would imagine parents of a troubled teenager would be a lot more hesitant about letting their son sleep rough in a small village than in a large city.

I'm just trying to explain why homelessness is more of an urban phenomenon; the above is just one of the reasons.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I think it's an urban phenomenon because these people could come from 2nd/3rd generation drug addicts/troubled homes.
That wouldn't have been as predominant in rural areas years and years ago. There's more money, begging opportunities in a bigger city, more footfall more money. I live in a rural area, and everybody knows the junkies in my town by name. If a junkie approached people looking for money, chances are they'd be told to **** off or the guards would move them on.
In a smaller town the guards know the scumbags and troublemakers by name, they're probably only waiting for them to sneeze before they can have them locked up again (and rightly so). They get away with a lot less down here than they would in a city like Dublin.

There's more social housing, it's a smaller community so there would be less tolerance to see someone out on the streets. (Pressure on local councillors and county councils).

It's a whole host of reasons, not just because people from Dublin love their kids less

corner of hells

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I think it's an urban phenomenon because these people could come from 2nd/3rd generation drug addicts/troubled homes.
That wouldn't have been as predominant in rural areas years and years ago. There's more money, begging opportunities in a bigger city, more footfall more money. I live in a rural area, and everybody knows the junkies in my town by name. If a junkie approached people looking for money, chances are they'd be told to **** off or the guards would move them on.
In a smaller town the guards know the scumbags and troublemakers by name, they're probably only waiting for them to sneeze before they can have them locked up again (and rightly so). They get away with a lot less down here than they would in a city like Dublin.

There's more social housing, it's a smaller community so there would be less tolerance to see someone out on the streets. (Pressure on local councillors and county councils).

It's a whole host of reasons, not just because people from Dublin love their kids less

Its not that they "get away" with anything , there are practically no services or very limited services outside Dublin for an addict or even for someone without an addiction.
Its inevitable a homeless individual from a small rural environment will graduate towards a city.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

corner of hells wrote: »

Its not that they "get away" with anything , there are practically no services or very limited services outside Dublin for an addict or even for someone without an addiction.
Its inevitable a homeless individual from a small rural environment will graduate towards a city.

I meant in terms of even just begging. In local towns you'll have the guards just waiting for the well known troublemakers/junkies to put a foot out of place before they're arrested and sent back to prison. For example, a really horrible person from our town is due to be released from the midlands prison some time this month. I'm betting hell be back in prison within 3 weeks. It's been the same story for as long as I remember him. He'll be out and back in as soon as the guards can get something on him, they won't have him around the town for too long, they never do.

the_monkey

OP don't feel bad, really ... it's all an act these people have more money then you or me ... they are rolling in it.

These people make good livings out of their little scams

donegaLroad

the sooner a country goes cashless, the quicker the beggars will disappear from the streets. Denmark are planning to go cashless by 2016.

In fact a cashless society would be very tough on really needy people.


.

corner of hells

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I meant in terms of even just begging. In local towns you'll have the guards just waiting for the well known troublemakers/junkies to put a foot out of place before they're arrested and sent back to prison. For example, a really horrible person from our town is due to be released from the midlands prison some time this month. I'm betting hell be back in prison within 3 weeks. It's been the same story for as long as I remember him. He'll be out and back in as soon as the guards can get something on him, they won't have him around the town for too long, they never do.

I get what you are saying , I always have trouble with the term junkie, Its not a crime to be an addict.I work a lot with addicts and many have never been in imprisoned and the odd one has never been convicted of anything serious , that said I'm not defending any addicts behaviour.