Organized begging

Hangdogroad

Loads of begging in Cork city. Tends to be 50/50 between Roma and native junkies, homeless. One thing I noticed during lockdown was the organised Roma beggars all but disappeared (they're back with a vengeance since) and the local junkies became very persistent and in a lot of cases downright aggressive and intimidating.

Lewis_Benson

Happens in the midlands too.

Plenty of men and women getting dropped off at various points around towns and picked up later on.

There was a known family at it in Athlone, being dropped off in a brand new people carrier.

Thelonious Monk

I was on Wicklow St and that black haired wan came up to me and my partner looking for money, her and daughter have been begging around there for years, I think they might be related to that yoke that begs on Stephen's Green too, all of them travellers. I was on a bus going home when I lived in Finglas years ago and the mother and daughter were counting their winnings after a day in town around Xmas time, must have had a couple of hundred euro between them. Then they were picked up at Lidl by someone in a transit van.

Of course there are genuine people on the streets begging and I do give them money sometimes, but you'd need to be pretty stupid to be giving money to the likes of those women who are just taking the p*ss.

Nigel Fairservice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861200#Comment_120861200

I saw begging outside the church in Douglas yesterday. I would guess they were Roma. I've seen plenty of begging in town previously but I've never seen it out in the suburbs before.

eddie1980

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120863769#Comment_120863769

I was accosted outside Lidl in Douglas by a Romanian woman. She was elderly.and going up to people pleading for money. Also, my doorbell rang one evening a week before Christmas and when I opened it two Romanian children started singing "We wish you a merry Christmas" and then held out a cup for money. I didn't know what to do. I was put on the spot so I threw in some change. I noticed the mother walking up and down out on the road looking in. That was some audacity.

SharkMX

See now we have a lad traveling around the world sitting at the bottom of Grafton street.

His has a hat put out and sign says "Please help to sponsor me to further my world trip. No amount too small".

And the best bit. He even has a tappy thing if you want to tap your card.

Fritzbox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121607833#Comment_121607833

how did you know they were from Romania?

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121607833#Comment_121607833

I’ve experienced that every year for about the last 10 except they were traveller kids- I can see who’s outside these days with the camera app so don’t bother opening the door when I see them coming - yeah it takes you by surprise the first time although even then, I didn’t give them anything - I thought first they might be local kids but realised quickly they weren’t -

another “con” is around September or early October when the kids go back to school - there’s usually a sponsored something or other from the local school - I’d know the kids in my immediate area so always sponsor them and if I didn’t recognise them I’d ask them where are they living and they’d tell you straight out so I’d know very quickly their parents and if they’re from here.

Traveller kids will also knock closely monitored by mammy close by- the sponsorship cards are completely dodgy and they can’t tell me where they’re from but usually a village many miles away - I tell them I only support my immediate houses and they should knock on their local community doors.

silverharp

have not enough people got out of the habit of carrying coins, i have to specifically put some in the car for the stupid task of of getting a supermarket trolly.

Slightly Kwackers

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

I would have thought a lot did without cash these days. My only cash now is one or two euro to release a Lidl shopping trolley.

I wonder if any beggars are equipped with card readers?

Incidentally I don't give, I have a fear of being scammed which is unfortunate I suppose considering that when I lived in the UK there are increasing numbers failing to receive basic help despite having had productive lives.