Irish traveller bare knuckle fighting

Blud · 02-10-2021 7:00pm

This thread is an embarrassment. This is the "culture" enshrined in Irish law.

xckjoo · 02-10-2021 7:14pm

There's seems to be a lot of research these days on the cumulative effects of brain trauma on people (memory issues, aggressive and impulsive behavior, etc).

Any thoughts on this and the tradition of bare knuckle fighting?

Killinator · 02-10-2021 7:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117968338#Comment_117968338

Not really 'getting there' as there doesn't appear to be any want to remove it from your society and excuses made as to why it's actually not a bad thing and criticism shouted off as 'racist'.

Strumms · 02-10-2021 7:25pm

Is it legal ? I’m not a traveler but if I am having a row with a neighbor over a land boundary or loud music at 3 am can we choose to come to a mutual arrangement that we fight and the winner gets to impose their will ? I’m not sure if an organized fight would constitute assault probably not ? but I’m fairly sure it is in contravention of Section 16 of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act... so therefore it’s criminal.

if you have a tradition within your community that breaks the law, your community needs to change, not the law.

nullzero · 02-10-2021 7:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117968413#Comment_117968413

Thanks to Inda, such a stupid idea that we'll be paying for for generations to come.

XsApollo · 02-10-2021 7:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117968456#Comment_117968456

Bare knuckle boxing would rarely get that far , due to the damage received getting punched with bare knuckles.

Bareknuckle fights are a lot more cautious than gloves fight, a couple of decent punches can do pretty bad surface damage.

boxing where a fella can get the head pounded off him for 12 rounds repeatedly due to the padded gloves is a different story.

RedXIV · 02-10-2021 8:00pm

Would you not see the flaw in this as a process of dispute when someone who has a bit of training is also a bit of a jerk and therefore is going to win every "dispute" comfortably and do as he pleases? This would be one of the principle reasons why arbitration, mediation or legal routes are preferred in a modern society.

So instead of boxer bob who is handy in the ring terrorising everyone he interacts with, there would be a fairer process in place?

Genuine question as I've never been in a position to ask

freshpopcorn · 02-10-2021 8:14pm

Can I ask why are the main reasons why traveller men mainly have a bare knucklebox?

NIMAN · 02-10-2021 8:17pm

Didn't realise this was an AMA thread.

xckjoo · 02-10-2021 8:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117968569#Comment_117968569

Ya I'm aware of that side of things but they're still engaging in an activity with regular, fairly hard impacts to the head. From OPs post it sounds like something that happens quite frequently so things could add up quickly for some people (probably more so if you're pretty good at it cause you might do it more). I doubt anyone gets through a fight without at least a couple of blows to the head.

I'm curious if it's something that's considered within the community and if OP has any thoughts or observations on it

02-10-2021 8:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117968413#Comment_117968413

Do you mean like, grandfathered in or something?

BobHopeless · 02-10-2021 8:28pm

Travellers engaging in an illegal activity, well I never.

mikethecop · 02-10-2021 8:35pm

op you keep starting theses threads but dont seem to want to discuss anything ,

your like the traveller equivalent of a shinner bot

as for the bare knuckle craic ? it already stated my opinion about how lads who might make decent boxers are dragged down by their own people etc

its not a culture its the lack of culture , the rest of us have largely evolved past the level of having no other way to solve problems apart from hitting it.

evolve or die out , thats you choice

frag420 · 02-10-2021 8:42pm

Do you declare the winnings (purse) for each h fight and why don’t you pay tax on it?

Also, what the fascination with elderly people living alone in the countryside, is urban theft too difficult?

02-10-2021 8:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117968629#Comment_117968629

Yeah this is pretty much how it goes down in every school yard in the country.

The alternate is that we're at the mercy of the justice system, incompetent judiciary, local "law" enforcement as well as "officers of the court" (who are all crooked as a barrel of snakes, on a good day).

In reality though I think traveler boxing is much more about status, pride and exhibition of male prowess; these supposed "disputes" are just an excuse to fight the majority of the time I'd imagine.

Though I know less than squat about that side to their boxing culture, I'll repeat I do like that there is affinity for boxing among it (something the rest of Irish culture largely holds in quite poor regard).

I have no idea if this behooves the IABA model or not, simply cause although many travelers train, that very fact can be off putting for settled folk to join a boxing club (many parents simply wouldn't allow their children to join a club with travelers as members, as an example).

Mad_maxx · 02-10-2021 9:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117968830#Comment_117968830

It's really not that difficult getting involved in a bare knuckle fight if you don't have to turn up for work the following day ( or the day after that )

The rest of us can't afford not to play grown ups

chosen1 · 02-10-2021 9:45pm

I've seen a fair few of these bare knuckle fights and there is rarely a decent match to be seen.

Mostly they involve seriously unfit participants where they walk around each other and after any decent hits, they tangle up and the "fair play men" have to break them up.

Majority are declared a draw where they have to shake hands afterwards and inevitably well after the match has taken place, both of them will claim victory in their next call out video.

Only has the effect of escalating feuds and does absolutely zero to settle their grievances with one another.

Feisar · 03-10-2021 12:27am

I know it's not the done thing anymore however a good ould dust up can clear the air between two lads. Currently within the traveller community though it seems corrupted. Call out videos etc are very crass. A fight between two men can be a beautiful thing, when the going gets hard ya get the opportunity to examine yerself and ya also get a glimpse at the other man's soul at the same time. However with the travellers fights now a lot on money changes hands, what's that got to do with disputes?

I'll leave ye with this. I spend a good many years as a barman back in the day. One evening I came in to start my evening shift and one of the day staff had served two traveler women. I overheard there convo, one was trying to get the other to go out for the night. The other was saying that "he was at home with the baby, if i don't go home I'll be bet". The other one without blinking said, "come out it'll be great craic, shur take the baiting tomorrow".

I've had loads of run ins with travellers over the years but that was my worst one.

ShatterAlan · 03-10-2021 7:45am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117968506#Comment_117968506

Often violence or the threat of violence delivers results.

If your dodgy neighbour was exposing himself to your wife or throwing stones up at your daughter's bedroom window at 3am, an iron bar to the mouth and a few more swings to the ankles would put paid to that problem, no?. Rinse repeat until he decided to seek accommodation far from the nieghbourhood.

Beasty · 03-10-2021 10:46am

OP you have requested a separate forum to discuss travellers, and some of the issues they face. I have agreed to work with you to see if we can get such a forum up and running. In the meantime please do not start any further threads on travellers in this forum. We have seen enough discussion already across a large number of threads, ands topics like this will be best dealt with in a dedicated forum

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Irish traveller bare knuckle fighting

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