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I'm a settled traveller (ask me anything)

  • 18-06-2013 12:36AM
    #1
    scopper
    Closed Accounts Posts: 870 ✭✭✭


    Until today I'd managed to avoid most of the traveller threads. I see them, sort of know what to expect, and avoid them. However, given the speed that the recent one seemed to generate responses I got curious.

    My story is relatively simple. I grew up on the road - mostly in Wicklow/Wexford - before we settled (illegally) in Tallaght where I attended school (St. Marks). I attended college (IT Tallaght) and decided to settle (legally) in Old Bawn when I turned 22. I've been settled since then and am currently 28. By no means would I consider myself highly educated, but I would call myself educated to the assumed standards of our society.

    Re: the most obvious questions regarding criminality...yes, we had our well-known criminal elements. The community would have regarded them the same way settled folk do i.e. the scumbag element that ruin the area. Oftentimes they just appeared bigger in number because the community is smaller. So it's like a compact society and what outsiders tend to see are the bad element since they are the ones wasting around all day whilst the good ones are either working or 'working' (as in off the books, maybe on welface, but making cash - hardly unknown amongst settled people in many areas of Dublin).

    Anyway, my two cents. What do we call ourselves? Travellers. Not tinkers (!). Pavee for maybe those who identify with a certain history. Mostly though we call each other by our own names...


«13456

Comments

  • #2
    lkionm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,407 ✭✭✭lkionm


    Is the grass greener on the other side?


  • #3
    scopper
    Closed Accounts Posts: 870 ✭✭✭scopper


    lkionm wrote: »
    Is the grass greener on the other side?

    It is common knowledge that it is not :D


  • #4
    MadsL
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    Good luck OP. I know you will need it. I hope AH shows itself capable of mature discussion, but this is AH after all.


  • #5
    BBDBB
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,899 ✭✭✭✭BBDBB


    Call yourselves what you want

    no skin off my nose either way


  • #6
    Blatter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,832 ✭✭✭✭Blatter


    What would you estimate the ratio between scumbag travellers and 'decent' ones?

    How common is domestic violence and abuse of animals in the travelling community, in your experience?

    Did you ever report a fellow traveller for illegal activities?


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  • #7
    Mr Whirly
    Closed Accounts Posts: 689 ✭✭✭Mr Whirly


    Is there any animosity between settled travelers and non settled travelers?


  • #8
    ColeTrain
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,681 ✭✭✭ColeTrain


    Do you like The Simpsons?


  • #9
    Spudmonkey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,386 ✭✭✭Spudmonkey


    Can you speak Kant, and if you can, give us a few words!


  • #10
    KKkitty
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,537 ✭✭✭KKkitty


    Do you get sick of the ignorance towards Travellers?


  • #11
    cson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,664 ✭✭✭✭cson


    Dya like dags?


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  • #12
    blow69
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 668 ✭✭✭blow69


    Out of curiosity, why did you become settled? How did you go about doing it?
    And was it easy to settle?


  • #13
    Karl Stein
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,687 ✭✭✭Karl Stein


    Jam or Marmalade?


  • #14
    scopper
    Closed Accounts Posts: 870 ✭✭✭scopper


    Blatter wrote: »
    What would you estimate the ratio between scumbag travellers and 'decent' ones?

    How common is domestic violence and abuse of animals in the travelling community, in your experience?

    (1) Maybe a little higher than usual (being honest), but I'd say 3/4 decent, 1/4 not so decent. But I would say that since the communities are small the influence of the quarter is high. You will often get families under the thumb/influence or just scared of the headcases.

    (2) Domestic violence is maybe a little higher. I didn't see it so much, but indirectly you would (as in through chatter). Abuse of animals; amongst the scum element very high. Amongst everyone else non-existent.


  • #15
    Juniorhurler
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,363 ✭✭✭Juniorhurler


    Can you ever see yourself going back to the road?


  • #16
    mikom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,391 ✭✭✭✭mikom


    MadsL wrote: »
    Good luck OP. I know you will need it. I hope AH shows itself capable of mature discussion, but this is AH after all.

    Tarring everyone with the same brush MadsL.........


  • #17
    IrishExpat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 298 ✭✭IrishExpat


    I was about to pack it in, but just one question. Based on real experience in the local area, and not on a thrown-about stereotype.

    Fine, it is the culture to travel and set-up where the land is suitable;
    but as the settled community see it, there is rarely any pride-of-place, in terms of rubbish left behind and the cost of the clean-up has to be picked up by someone.

    Is it just lack of respect for a temporary site/local area, or is there more to it? It seems to be the main gripe.


  • #18
    scopper
    Closed Accounts Posts: 870 ✭✭✭scopper


    Mr Whirly wrote: »
    Is there any animosity between settled travelers and non settled travelers?

    Not really. They wouldn't come in to contact much. I would say settled travellers look down a little on non settled and non settled think settled ones soft.


  • #19
    Osborne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 310 ✭✭Osborne


    What is your opinion on the TV show "My big fat gyspy wedding"? Do you believe it has had a negative or positive affect on the way the travelling community is perceived? Also, does it it represent a true reflection of the travelling community's way of life?


  • #20
    scopper
    Closed Accounts Posts: 870 ✭✭✭scopper


    KKkitty wrote: »
    Do you get sick of the ignorance towards Travellers?

    I sort of stopped thinking about. Because people know by the accent I am one I don't hear it in real life. Online is different, but online everyone seems to hate everything.


  • #21
    Gatling
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 40,291 ✭✭✭✭Gatling


    mikom wrote: »
    Tarring everyone with the same brush MadsL.........

    MadsL dittin da natin natin isay ask memaaaamy
    360_F_102352090_ie3kLjDIvgrT1sxVDknWCUh8PxgMYzM7.jpg




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  • #22
    Mech1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,203 ✭✭✭Mech1


    we are thinking about moving to Old Bawn, whats the best bin company to go for (price / quality) and do you get a brown bin?


  • #23
    scopper
    Closed Accounts Posts: 870 ✭✭✭scopper


    blow69 wrote: »
    Out of curiosity, why did you become settled? How did you go about doing it?
    And was it easy to settle?

    I didn't like the lifestyle. When I went to Uni I was basically living like a settled person and preferred it. Nothing to stop a traveller doing it. It's your own decision. My family would have been a little disappointed. Sort of like giving up the tradition, etc. But once it happened they were fine. It was easy since I liked it more anyway.


  • #24
    emo72
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,540 ✭✭✭emo72


    Do you go out with settled girls? Or is that frowned upon? Why do the girls never go out with settled lads? And finally do you know piebald Luke from Wexford?


  • #25
    scopper
    Closed Accounts Posts: 870 ✭✭✭scopper


    Juniorhurler wrote: »
    Can you ever see yourself going back to the road?

    Hmm...it depends. I'd like to do it if I could afford some real time off. Maybe later in life, but I'd never do it permanently. Maybe more than a non-traveller would.


  • #26
    MadsL
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    mikom wrote: »
    Tarring everyone with the same brush MadsL.........

    Yes. But I sanitise it before applying it to each poster.


  • #27
    scopper
    Closed Accounts Posts: 870 ✭✭✭scopper


    IrishExpat wrote: »

    Is it just lack of respect for a temporary site/local area, or is there more to it? It seems to be the main gripe.

    There is usually uproar about this in the community where one or two family is wrecking the area. Keep in mind most people do not want to live in it. If you see a cleanup up close you'll notice the rubbish builds up around where only a few caravans were. Most families hate that this is associated with travellers.


  • #28
    donvito99
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭donvito99


    What's the capital of Mongolia?

    Hint : it's not Rathkeale


  • #29
    scopper
    Closed Accounts Posts: 870 ✭✭✭scopper


    Osborne wrote: »
    What is your opinion on the TV show "My big fat gyspy wedding"? Do you believe it has had a negative or positive affect on the way the travelling community is perceived? Also, does it it represent a true reflection of the travelling community's way of life?

    I would say they seem to work hard to pick the 'chav' type families out of the mix for ratings. I wouldn't recognize it as how I grew up or what life is like as a traveller at all. But i wouldn't say it is made up. Just that they know what they are doing to sensationalize.


  • #30
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 13,839 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    What are you studying at Uni?


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  • #31
    Timmyctc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,825 ✭✭✭Timmyctc


    What'd ye do yer PHD in?


This discussion has been closed.
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