Roma in Donegal Town.

Graces7

There is a new Roma family around in Town.

This morning actually had to lock the car doors from the inside and wait while I fended the woman off; she wanted the milk she could see in the back.

Twice she tried at different places; in the Diamond and then outside Ulsterbank.

The first encounter we had with them we checked on them and we know that they probably have more money coming in than we do.

But this is aggressive now.

Has anyone else had problems?

Carrickman

It's a really problem with these folk especially in Letterkenny according to my sisters, that's the last thing Donegal town wants coming into the summer months not being racism it's just the way some of these people operate it's just a business to them like the mayor of Roma said they are the wealthiest people over there so dont be giving them money.

Graces7

Carrickman wrote: »

It's a really problem with these folk especially in Letterkenny according to my sisters, that's the last thing Donegal town wants coming into the summer months not being racism it's just the way some of these people operate it's just a business to them like the mayor of Roma said they are the wealthiest people over there so dont be giving them money.

They have been n Donegal two years and more; but this new woman is as they say something else. She was trying to make me give her the milk she saw in the car. I would give anyone in need anything I had but these people are wealthy as you say.

I dived into the Bank as soon as she had gone and they were all watching.

Many give just to get rid of them of course.

And no it is not racism; the ladies at Vincent de Paul, the Thrift Shop, handle them beautifully...

At the car boot sales last year at Ballyshannon, when the Roma entered all the stallholders stood to attention and warned each other. Such is their reputation.

And the week old baby they were using in the Diamond a while back to beg.

Fracture

best thing to do is beg bag, ask her if she has any spare change or point at her handbag and ask for some money. she wont be long leaving.

bohsboy

I have noticed this gang and was going to post something myself a while back.

Ive noticed them lately targeting vulnerable people sitting on benches in the Diamond, surrounding them close up and shoving magazines in their laps.

Worth keeping an eye on.

Graces7

bohsboy wrote: »

I have noticed this gang and was going to post something myself a while back.

Ive noticed them lately targeting vulnerable people sitting on benches in the Diamond, surrounding them close up and shoving magazines in their laps.

Worth keeping an eye on.

That is the new family alright. A woman with teenage children. The usual ones are not like that.

We checked the laws; begging is allowed but not aggressive begging. They sell the Big Issue, homeless magazine; am sure they are not supposed to be like that though.

Wonder how to get in touch with that organisation.

Carrickman

Graces7 wrote: »

They sell the Big Issue, homeless magazine; am sure they are not supposed to be like that though.

Wonder how to get in touch with that organisation.

Yeah this is something I cant understand why are they getting to sell the Big Issues as they are far from poor I thought it was supposed to help those in need?

I'm off to Donegal town to carry a carton of milk around the diamond to see how many of them I can attract;)

Bob Z

Carrickman wrote: »

Yeah this is something I cant understand why are they getting to sell the Big Issues as they are far from poor I thought it was supposed to help those in need?

I'm off to Donegal town to carry a carton of milk around the diamond to see how many of them I can attract;)

they last time I bought the big issue of them it was out of date and inside some of the pages were damaged so maybe they just find them

Graces7

Carrickman wrote: »

Yeah this is something I cant understand why are they getting to sell the Big Issues as they are far from poor I thought it was supposed to help those in need?

I'm off to Donegal town to carry a carton of milk around the diamond to see how many of them I can attract;)

I wondered that too...

They are not homeless etc.

See
http://www.bigissue.com/

I tried emaiing the Irish site but it bouncd back

Some of them do wear the badges.

The first time we encountered them here was when a little boy was begging in the Diamond; well dressed etc and clearly not poor.

Some of the tourists were shouting at him , so we checked with the Gardai, who told us how well off they are and never to give them anything. And they had so many complaints they made the parents keep him at home.

We did give them food one but then they demanded ten euros as well..Another one once tried to drag me into a cafe to buy her lunch!

Maybe we have all got too used to them.

Good luck with the milk!!

Technique

Carrickman wrote: »

It's a really problem with these folk especially in Letterkenny according to my sisters, that's the last thing Donegal town wants coming into the summer months not being racism it's just the way some of these people operate it's just a business to them like the mayor of Roma said they are the wealthiest people over there so dont be giving them money.

:pac:

old hippy

Mmm. Who is the mayor of Roma?

Technique

old hippy wrote: »

Mmm. Who is the mayor of Roma?

Hugo Drax

Graces7 wrote: »

There is a new Roma family around in Town.

This morning actually had to lock the car doors from the inside and wait while I fended the woman off; she wanted the milk she could see in the back.

Twice she tried at different places; in the Diamond and then outside Ulsterbank.

The first encounter we had with them we checked on them and we know that they probably have more money coming in than we do.

But this is aggressive now.

Has anyone else had problems?

If somebody is agressivley begging off you, the solution is simple;

Just say "NO MONEY, get the XXXX out of my face".

Problem solved.

Hugo Drax

Fracture wrote: »

best thing to do is beg bag, ask her if she has any spare change or point at her handbag and ask for some money. she wont be long leaving.

:D:D That's classic, that would defo, work just reverse the thing on her and start asking her to give you money!

I'm doing that the next time I get asked.

douglashyde

Does England have trouble with Roma's too?

Are they entitled to state benifits?

muffler

douglashyde wrote: »

Does England have trouble with Roma's too?

Are they entitled to state benifits?

Stay on topic please. If thats an attempt at trolling then you can do much better.

old hippy

douglashyde wrote: »

Does England have trouble with Roma's too?

Are they entitled to state benifits?

Roma are much maligned, across Europe. One look at their history will show they've been subjected to much grief over the centuries - no more so than the Holocaust.

But I'm not comparing the situation in Donegal to this, btw. It's one family, who do sound a bit aggressive.

Hugo Drax

old hippy wrote: »

Roma are much maligned, across Europe. One look at their history will show they've been subjected to much grief over the centuries - no more so than the Holocaust.

But I'm not comparing the situation in Donegal to this, btw. It's one family, who do sound a bit aggressive.

Nobody should be discriminated against on ethnicity and I don't doubt gypies are and have been subjected to severe prejudice.

That said, I would like to know what Roma tell Customs & Immigration when they come through Dublin Airport.

"Hi we're here to build a new life for ourselves, my husband is taking up a job with Goldman Sachs and we're buying a house in Rathfarnam."

Or do they actually say, "we haven't a brass farthing to our name, we want everything for free that we're entitled to and then when we get that we're going to hit the streets and harass for money, the same people who have paid for our free house, benefits etc. etc."

Just wondering?

douglashyde

muffler wrote: »

Stay on topic please. If that’s an attempt at trolling then you can do much better.

Thanks for the advice; I will be much more careful in future.

The reason I ask is because, peoples' perception seems to vary from area to area and I was wondering what the Englishs' perception of them was.

The reason I asked about state benefit is because: Is there a reason why they might choice to live in a certain part of the country: i.e. Donegal.

muffler

douglashyde, posts like that wont be allowed here. Any more and you are gone.

I ask the first time. I tell the second time. There is no third warning.

Carrickman

Well it was the Mayor of the part of Romania that was quoted in the news saying that:o.

I take it they are the gang hanging around on the seats in the Diamond across from the bookshop as I have never seen these ones before and I am up in that area every week?

Got my shopping home safely anyway and met a few of them on their way into Super Value!!

Graces7

Hugo Drax wrote: »

If somebody is agressivley begging off you, the solution is simple;

Just say "NO MONEY, get the XXXX out of my face".

Problem solved.

Well that is basically what I have done on three occasions now; without the bad language ( thank you, Muffler!). She just carries on.

I am out there tomorrow and will , if she starts, open the mobile phone to pretend to call the Gardai.

That should do it.

They pretend that they know no English, but ..

And carrickman, yes that is them. try sitting on a bench and you will see..

douglashyde

muffler wrote: »

douglashyde, posts like that wont be allowed here. Any more and you are gone.

I ask the first time. I tell the second time. There is no third warning.

Thanks for the warning, I really appreiate them. It won't happen again.

Hugo Drax

Graces7 wrote: »

Well that is basically what I have done on three occasions now; without the bad language ( thank you, Muffler!). She just carries on.

I am out there tomorrow and will , if she starts, open the mobile phone to pretend to call the Gardai.

That should do it.

They pretend that they know no English, but ..

And carrickman, yes that is them. try sitting on a bench and you will see..

Better solution would appear to what the other poster was saying, just start asking her for money,

Just say, "No, you give me money,!".

She'll take off then.

comeraghs

Discriminated against Definetly!

But if anybody of any ethnic group was to carry on like this crew they they´d be discriminated against!

Is it racist to not like someone because of their behaviour?

They charge me with anti-scumbagism & throw the book at me!

killerbeg

muffler wrote: »

douglashyde, posts like that wont be allowed here. Any more and you are gone.

I ask the first time. I tell the second time. There is no third warning.

Hi, I rarely post here but I always monitor this forum for info on what's happening in Donegal. Can I just clarify the trolling offence here, I'm not being a smart ass I honestly want to know. Is it because the poster went off topic with a possibly racist undertone? I'd like to contribute to some of the forum topics and have read the charter etc. but I'm apprehensive about misinterpreting the trolling rules.

Mint Sauce

seen two in the town on saturday, one wearing a designer cardigan asking people for cigarettes

the second selling the big issue,

i told them both didn't smoke/had no change, and they both moved on, another gentleman near by told them where to go after ignoring them didn't work

muffler

killerbeg wrote: »

Hi, I rarely post here but I always monitor this forum for info on what's happening in Donegal. Can I just clarify the trolling offence here, I'm not being a smart ass I honestly want to know. Is it because the poster went off topic with a possibly racist undertone? I'd like to contribute to some of the forum topics and have read the charter etc. but I'm apprehensive about misinterpreting the trolling rules.

You are more than welcome to contribute to any thread here. In relation to this particular thread and the user you mentioned, well I think you answered the question yourself.

The 2 main points are to stay on topic and resist the temptation to discuss ethnic or social status.

Pique

That's the problem in cases like this. Say anything against them and it's racism. Why is it racism if I think they're toerags and deserve nothing? I say that about certain Irish people too. If nothing is said because of their race, then how can it be racist? Still, that's always the retort, and begins a circular argument.

Graces7

Pique wrote: »

That's the problem in cases like this. Say anything against them and it's racism. Why is it racism if I think they're toerags and deserve nothing? I say that about certain Irish people too. If nothing is said because of their race, then how can it be racist? Still, that's always the retort, and begins a circular argument.

I know!

And so we tend to accept more from these people than we would from others.

it is not because they are Roma; I chat with several who know we have no money. (Although they do always try!)

We have many nationalities and colours here now. No racism.

It is because they chase and harass people.

Well, I spent most of the weekend in bed with a migraine so no chance to try the suggestions...

killerbeg

You are more than welcome to contribute to any thread here. In relation to this particular thread and the user you mentioned, well I think you answered the question yourself.

The 2 main points are to stay on topic and resist the temptation to discuss ethnic or social status.

Thanks Muffler, understood.