Organized begging

Foxhound38

I drive around Dublin City Centre every day for work; have done for years and I don't think I've ever seen in the begging situation as bad. We've always had beggars but now you can't walk down the street without tripping up over the, you can't have a meal or a drink in the outside part of any bar or restaurant in the city without getting hassled with a rehearsed sob story multiple times and lately you can't stop at a traffic lights or even sit in a parked car without some eejit wandering between cars knocking at the window. And it's always the same eejits in the same areas - day in, day out. Its like they have been given specific patches.

What's worse is that lately they haven't been taking a simple no for an answer either - specifically since the summer hit they've been getting very aggressive when cash isn't forthcoming. A swift "fcuk off" tends to sort it ultimately but tourists and the elderly don't need to be dealing with this sort of crap.

Is it as bad outside the capital lately? Is there anything specific behind it? Today alone I've been hassled at least 6 times and it isn't even 4pm.

One eyed Jack

Is it as bad outside the capital lately? Is there anything specific behind it? Today alone I've been hassled at least 6 times and it isn't even 4pm.

It’s not even that bad in Dublin City Centre, and I’ve yet to trip over any beggars. Such a claim might be more of an indication that you need to go to Specsavers.

Their increased visibility definitely has something to do with the good weather though, and the increase in tourism as you allude to is also a significant factor. A downpour of Biblical proportions is what’s needed really 🤔

https://youtu.be/kGTY-7e3iT0

TokTik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058303678/organized-begging

As your thread title says, it's organised. If there is money to be made, people will exploit it. A campaign telling people not to give money on the street due to the organised nature of it might help. But they'd just move on to the next "easy" money scheme.

riclad

It's not organised. Homeless people will beg put a cup on the ground maybe they are looking for money for drink or drugs it's mostly the same people. In the same area the problem is the weather is mild

We need a few days of rain to get them to stop for a while every city has this problem .

My advice is keep moving don't stop. Simply say I have no change

It's part of life in the city

corner of hells

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804911#Comment_120804911

Yes I can see heroin or crack addicts getting organised and planning their day , start times and finish times along with making sure everyone gets a break.

Odhinn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805337#Comment_120805337

The HR department e-mails would be a hoot.

Overheal

They address this problem with Atlanta with collection boxes all around the city center where you can donate to city run homeless causes like soup kitchens. Can’t imagine how much panhandling there would be without them, there’s already still a fair amount in parts of the city.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805093#Comment_120805093

Some of it is organised. When I see 4-5 guys dropped off by car to go begging and then get picked up again by the same car there is some organisation going on. Sometimes may be the organisation is a family level like when I've seen a family get out of their car walk into town and on the way take off their decent jackets and put on tatty dirty ones.

How come I can see the same group of beggars in Waterford then the same guys a few days later in Dungarvan?

corner of hells

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805367#Comment_120805367

Yeah , but Waterford , c’mon.

There is begging happening in the suburbs too, and noticeably more.

If you happen to be going through the McDonalds Drive-Thru lane in the Belgard Road branch, keep your car windows up between the speaker and the pay window.

There are two men (I think they are father and son) who constantly beg there. They are down the side of the building so not visible to the staff in the store. The younger man in particular will come up to the car windows and aggressively shake his cup in your face, and make a nasty comment if drive on without giving him anything. Often he is on the lane, and the other man is standing by the exit gate.

McDonalds are aware of it, and I've seen the security move them on once, but they're persistant and keep coming back so now the security seem to just ignore them.

whisky_galore

Well meaning idiots and soft touches keep it going.

Don't give money and it will reduce. It's that simple.

20Wheel

Beggars, seagulls, vulture funds and Tubridy. Its a jungle out there.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805644#Comment_120805644

They should also put up signs about the other three

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805710#Comment_120805710

Just you wait they'll be out there waving card machines just like in church before long ;-)

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805093#Comment_120805093

Did you not mean to say that some day a real rain will come and wash all the scum off the streets

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805093#Comment_120805093

Very few of the visible street-sleepers or street-beggars are homeless: the actual homeless generally keep out of sight.

The Roma groups begging in Galway are most certainly organised: they start the day with a team meeting in Eyre Square or whatever, and I'm convinced there's someone saying who goes where each day.

TooTired123

There’s one guy in Thurles. Hes there Thursday till Saturday.

A van drops him off in the morning and collects him in the evening.

He sits outside Tesco with a sleeping bag, a money box and a small cardboard sign that says “Please help”.

He crosses the road to use the toilet in Hayes’s Hotel. He doesn’t beg, he doesn’t need to. People occasionally buy him snacks and drinks.

Id say he picks up around €100 a day. Maybe more on Friday.

I’ve no issue with this. People are allowed to spend their money however they wish.

Orange-Coca-Cola

I hear Noel Kelly is in a spot of bother, some his clients might be branching out in different areas.

It is possible that he might have sent his best talent out to OP's area, as it may result in the most lucrative results.

It might not be true, but it could be also.

Kimbot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805403#Comment_120805403

Same happens in the McDonalds on Naas Road, they sit at the speaker where you order and then again between the pay window and collection window. I have even seen them dealing on occassion but yet it still happens with nobody moving them on.

TokTik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805093#Comment_120805093

https://m.sundayworld.com/news/irish-news/galway-city-to-crack-down-on-organised-begging-gangs-operating-out-of-eyre-square/a1865161696.html

https://www.westmeathindependent.ie/2023/04/04/councillor-claims-organised-begging-ring-operating-in-athlone/

https://extra.ie/2017/12/24/news/irish-news/organised-beggars-flying-from-romania

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30886439.html

Of course it’s not. What was I thinking. The Prime Time and TV3 shows on it were “mockumentaries” too, were they??

nullzero

Have to laugh when you see them doing their little hand overs as their shifts change.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120806769#Comment_120806769

Might have been funnier in your head my friend.

mikep

During lockdown, while working from home, I had the radio on and Newstalk had a guy on the street talking to some people begging. One fella said he used to make €350 a day. Begging won't be going away if they are getting that kind of cash....

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120806292#Comment_120806292

I think that approach is all over the country- I know of one person in a shopping industrial estate type centre - woodies, Smyth’s toys etc those sort of shops- has been there week in week out for maybe the last 18 months- same spot every day - he’s not doing that if he’s not making good money

cbreeze

I don't carry cash so I'm always apologizing to beggars. The odd time I might have a couple of euro I give it to them if they look miserable and are Irish. The organised groups are delivered by van in my area and they position themselves outside shops and the post office. Some use public transport, bus and rail and they are better dressed than I am!

Everlong1

Yet another manifestation of the deterioration of law and order in this country. I'm sure we have plenty of laws against begging like we do about everything else but sure why bother enforcing them either.

No doubt the usual suspects will be along any minute to vilify me and others on this thread as an edgelord right wing Nazi anti-immigrant homophobe Tory whatever you’re having yourself, crime is no worse in Ireland than anywhere, you see beggars in every European city yada yada yada.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120807245#Comment_120807245

There was another guy at McDonalds City West, but they moved their flower planters to block off where he used to sit.

Another time I saw a guy dipping his hand into the little box for collecting spare change for charity they have under the pay window.

SortingYouOut

Guy often around Baggot St/Grand Canal area. If i'd to guess i'd say Roma, heavy enough set for someone needing to beg and has a moustache. Avoid him at all costs. He is aggressive and will often play the act of infuriation when denied change, once doing it to two elderly women who were clearly shaken by it.

Horrible bastard.

Everlong1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120808317#Comment_120808317

Do you see this charmer regularly? Ever called the Guards on him? Probably a pointless exercise I know but couldn't do any harm either.

TooTired123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120808183#Comment_120808183

I regard giving to beggars the same way I regard people falling for telephone/text/e-mail scams.

At this stage there has been so much publicity regarding scams and organised begging that if people continue to insist on giving their money away to strangers when they could give it to a reliable local charity or cause in their own community then they must be allowed to do whatever they want.

We have very generous social safety net to save people from needing to beg. If people are begging then they are begging to support their addictions. I don’t think I want to help someone to feed their addiction but I can’t speak for anyone else.

Everlong1

There's an individual sits on the footpath on Stephen's Green between Grafton Street and Dawson Street. She's a member of a certain Irish "ethnic minority" who we're not allowed to talk about.

Her particular, well rehearsed and long running act involves whingeing and crying in a very loud voice "MISTER PLEASE ! WON'T YOU HELP ME I'M STARVING ! PLEASE BUY ME FOOD ! OH PLEASE MISTER HELP ME!"

God love the poor craythur. I work in that area and she's been starving to death on that footpath for at least ten years now.

There used to be another shyster who was mentioned on Boards before. This guy was deaf (or pretended to be). His act involved actively going up to people with a begging note in his hand, thrusting it in front of you and gesticulating wildly at the note until you told him to eff off. I haven't seen him around in ages so hopefully he's either moved on elsewhere or else has done us all a favour and dropped dead, or been murdered by an irate passerby, Travis Bickle / Michael Douglas in Falling Down style.