Roma beggers in Athlone

jaded_pause

So is it just me or are the Roma beggers getting a bit out of hand??
It seems that every corner I turn in the town there's another one begging.

There's Hobo Guy who hangs around the entrance to the TownCenter.
Monobrow Young Lad (who incedently verbally attacked me because I wouldn't give him a cigarette, honestly he's about 12)
then there's Dunnestores begger woman (who, after my cousin's 4 year old dropped his glove, proceeded to pick it up and put it on..then denyed she was wearing it when my cousin asked her..)
Old Guy with Dog on the far side of the Post Office near the TownCenter.

And a whole host of others besides.

Why don't the gardai do anything about them?? they're a nuisance in the town and there's way too many of them.

I'd also be interested to hear if any of you guys have had a bad experience with them, and if you think there's anything we can do to get them off the streets! Athlone is a nice town (mostly) and we need to keep it that way!

Oh_Noes

Well from my own experiences and the chit chat that goes around the town:

Old (but not very old) guy with dog is relatively local, but very down on his luck. He doesn't even beg as such, just likes a friendly chat and the price of a cup of tea.

Roma woman outside Dunnes is a professional beggar. I've heard from two different people that she has council housing in Monksland and gets the same benefits as everyone else.

The guy hanging around the post office is collect for the Ravens/Lyons (one of those old-fashioned community goodwill groups).

The guy who everyone would recognise is the big issue seller in front of the Bank of Ireland. He has a partner and a daughter and is living in council accommodation. He's been selling that for years, I always understood that the Big Issue was to be sold by homeless people.

I haven't had any bad experiences of them as such other than moral objections to what the big issue seller and the Roma woman are doing.

The gardai don't do anything about them because they aren't breaking the law.

I'd be far more enthusiastic for the banning of "charity" collectors outside the post office when half the people going in and out are unemployed and there to collect welfare payments and most likely are scraping to keep afloat themselves.

challengemaster

Yup, unfortunately Ireland legalised begging instead of banning it. :rolleyes:

Oh_Noes

challengemaster wrote: »

Yup, unfortunately Ireland legalised begging instead of banning it. :rolleyes:

I don't think it ever was illegal?

AckwelFoley

Yea, ive noticed that too. Im not too bothered by beggers, particularly the local ones, but the roma make a nice living from it and are rather mouthy too when it comes to looking for money -

neaideabh

Roma Gypsies? Deport them! Getting prob 100,000 times more out of irish society than they ever had contributed or will contribute!

Everybody just walked by the girl on the easons entrance to town centre yesterday!

omen80

Send them home. They are a complete waste of space and I have no sympathy for them. I gave a cup of tea and sandwich to a homeless guy the other day in Limerick, I kind of know him to see around. He's Irish and I'd rather give him something before the Roma brigade.

demanufactured

the one that begs outside dunnes drives a VW passat

she asked me for money one time sayin "I poor I poor"

I told her to get the **** up off the ground and get a ****in job.

xo.mary

demanufactured wrote: »

the one that begs outside dunnes drives a VW passat

she asked me for money one time sayin "I poor I poor"

I told her to get the **** up off the ground and get a ****in job.

I saw her getting booted by 2 suits from Dunnes the other day. She was giving abuse to them, but I couldn't hear what

jaded_pause

xo.mary wrote: »

I saw her getting booted by 2 suits from Dunnes the other day. She was giving abuse to them, but I couldn't hear what

From what i understand this is a regular occurance, they're always telling her to move on and she just keeps coming back.

If people stopped giving them money, they wouldn't beg anymore. Simple as. I just don't understand why people would give them money in the first place!! I say look after our own first, there are plenty of Irish people struggling.

Nodferatu

you do realize behind them old ladies sitting on the pavement with their long scarves and shauls they have a waistbag thing that starps around their waist, when they get enough money in their gala coffee cup they empty the coins into their bag around their waist and conceal it again, and the cycle continues. i've seen it happen more than once. f***ing c**ts

jaded_pause

Nodferatu wrote: »

you do realize behind them old ladies sitting on the pavement with their long scarves and shauls they have a waistbag thing that starps around their waist, when they get enough money in their gala coffee cup they empty the coins into their bag around their waist and conceal it again, and the cycle continues. i've seen it happen more than once. f***ing c**ts

Dirty, dying, diseased, ****heads!! i'd love to just kick 'em all in the face..then kick 'em out.

bmarley

jaded_pause wrote: »

Dirty, dying, diseased, ****heads!! i'd love to just kick 'em all in the face..then kick 'em out.

Thats a bit savage! I think people should not give to these Roma beggars under any circumstances. They are clearly very clever entreprenures and can be seen on every street corner in Ireland. They know all the good spots and move around these, how do they manage to transport themselves from Athlone to Clara market? They can appear very sweet until they don't get what they want. Most of them have mouths full of gold fillings. I would never give to anyone who use children whilst begging in the hope that people would feel sorry for them. The guards should not tolerate children begging on the streets..it is unsafe for them. However, I would give to homeless persons, chat with them or buy them something hot to eat.

roosterman71

I've a cat at home here. JP its called. And during meal times, he sits beside us and looks up with those innocent eyes, begging for food. Ya'd nearly feel sorry for the poor soul. But then ya realise the fat cat has just been fed, so he's trying to get one over us by taking our food too.
I found that a good kick in the arse, and a line similar to "feck off ya beggin b@st@rd" does the trick. I might try it on the cat too

Jo King

Oh_Noes wrote: »

I don't think it ever was illegal?

It was illegal under the 1847 Vagrancy Act.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/vagrants-court-win-overturns-begging-law-50100.html

Orla Walsh

I thought I was the only one who disliked these people and I can tell you that I could be here all night giving out about them. Firstly they stand beside bank machines and I find this very intimidating and I got so angry once that I went into the bank and asked if the Manager could come out and tell them to move away as I wasn't comfortable keying in my pin number, I felt that they were looking over my shoulder and he moved them pronto but they came back.

When I was living in Dublin (over 10 years ago), I saw a Roma beggar with his small child (possibly about 2 years old) and it was a freezing morning and he asked me for money and when I said no and that you should be charged with child abuse, he wasn't so friendly anymore, he nearly spat at me.

I haven't your man that played the prerecorded song on his accordian for a while and thank God for that as he drove me insane.

IPushButtons

I view this as a business venture, an if there's no demand then there will no supply I.E. If everyone stoped giving them money then, they in theory should stop looking for it.

I never give these guys money or buy rose, or anything like that. However If you were allowed to punch them for spare change, then I might be down with that

Had a bad day at work ? Kids getting you down ? Too much stress in your life ? WHY NOT PUNCH A TRAMP !!!!

jaded_pause

IPushButtons wrote: »

Had a bad day at work ? Kids getting you down ? Too much stress in your life ? WHY NOT PUNCH A TRAMP !!!!

hahahahahahaha!!! I can see it now.... 'Hi! I'm Billy Mays!!'

IPushButtons

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/80543174/

:D

jaded_pause

IPushButtons wrote: »

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/80543174/

:D

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA i love the bit where he goes 'even interracial families can enjoy them!'

IPushButtons

We could get them to were this as well :D

cursai

I can tell you at least eight of them live on the same address in Willow park!
Good god! People used to give out about the students living in Willow park!

IPushButtons

cursai wrote: »

I can tell you at least eight of them live on the same address in Willow park!
Good god! People used to give out about the students living in Willow park!

That's cool but why are you following beggars around ?

cursai

IPushButtons wrote: »

That's cool but why are you following beggars around ?

Ha Ha........because u pay me too!

IPushButtons

cursai wrote: »

Ha Ha........because u pay me too!

And you've earned every penny mate

cursai

IPushButtons wrote: »

And you've earned every penny mate

Honestly though. there a sourge! No way to deal with them effectively.
They get arrested.....they get released...back the next day.
They get moved on(for obstructing a public footpath)....they move somewhere else.
They steal...go to court..get fined or a day in prison after the fifth day in court...and are released the next day.
They seem to multiply like rabbits.
The same one can be found in mullingar, clara market, Ballinasloe and moate.
F$%king hate the dirty beggars...