im a traveller AMA

[TakeABreak2]

irish traveller ama

Really enjoyed the thread, thank you very much for taking the time to inform and explode stereotypes. I think Coyoaca upthread said it best regarding the annoying racism on this thread.

I could be wrong, but I believe that historically all peoples on the British Isles were nomadic hunter-gatherers. So it is us, the settled people, who have chosen something different, travellers are following a tradition that is thousands of years old.

I assume it must have been easier for travellers a hundred or two hundred years ago when there was still plenty of common land and common forest across Britain, people would not have needed to camp in car parks or make “illegal” entries onto private land. Is there much bitterness in travelling communities about the rights they have lost?

Do you feel free from the shackles of a “9-5” job and is that part of the reason travellers might be ambivalent towards education - they don’t want that sort of lifestyle any way?

everyone is different
while some still want big familys of 7/8/9 not very many do lol most say they want 2/3 but by the time their finished they end up probably having 4/5 i have 2 now when ds was born i wanted another after about 6 months i was planning on trying now ds is 2 my mind has changed, i do want more just not yet.. maybe when hes 5ish im thinking

There is a settled traveller family ( several family units, but all related) near me. They still travel for fairs etc.
They all attended my Dad's funeral, they were patients of his.
Would it be quite common for traveller families to attend non- traveller funerals, or did they just like my Dad?!
They are a lovely family and used to give us a Christmas tree and holly wreath every year when I was little, as well as the odd rabbit for the pot!

every year it gets harder for us to travel.. there is less places to go and i know people out travelling now in leeds they pulled on a field no houses surrounding or parks ect they pulled on monday evening and bailiffs were there tuesday morning they had to go by 6 or there trailers were getting towed into the compoud!! also 97% travellers will follow there lifestyle regarding work thats why there is probably a lack in education

if a travelle knew some one well enough they will go to there funeral traveller or non traveller it doesnt depend on the miles!! its a matter of respect for that person you once knew

I watched a program in France about French travellers, they were also finding it harder and harder. Insurance companies would not give insurance to traveller drivers. Of course they didn’t say so directly, they just imposed so many conditions that travellers were effectively excluded.

Interesting thread!

Do you have a council house or is it bought?

Does the council still charge you if you are away travelling?

Why is it expensive to use the toilet in your caravan?

What model do you have?

Does the community claim benefits or only get what they make from work?

Are you rich?

Sorry, I'm reading as fast as I can to see what's already been asked, and don't want to lose the thread. I've got lots of questions!

mellie im on a site not a house
council still charge regaurdless
i dont think its expensive just dirty
i have a american caravan
some claimm benefits if there entitled some dont
im not rich i wish i was

ok pickle:)

I read the autobiography of Sheila Stewart, it was amazing. Do Irish travellers have a folk music tradition and if so do you have on-site entertainment?! Also, do you have WiFi?

Is the work from door knocking cash in hand though? How do you declare your earnings/do invoices/etc do you do the admin for your DH or does he do it?

meringue alot of irish travellers listen to irish music? not on sote entertainement more blast the music in your car/van haha and i dont no i use my phone some people have wifi but it can be harder alot of thetimes when they sky man sees its a site he drives straight past

mymycherrypieit is mostly door knocking cash in hand, someomes jobs ring in via leaflets ect and as far as i know they give invoices ect and it all goes into a tax registered bank account and i dont do the admin for him he hires a non traveller to do all that

I thought you said you go to your house in winter?

Or do you just stay in your caravan

no i was talking abot travellers in general.. they either go back to houses or sites in the winter.. im on a site all year round with just pulling out for a week here and there

Thanks... more questions... do you shop in supermarkets or do you have good connections with local farmers and get meat & veg straight from the farm...

This might be a sensitive one so please feel free to ignore...

I read once that their is a higher infant mortality rate amongst the travelling community (stats from Ireland show its 4 times higher).

Why do you think this is? I wondered if it's because the community is on the move more so no regular midwife/health visitor?

I also noticed on some of the tv shows that the babies cribs were very highly decorated with fabric and gem stone (if a girl). I remember waking in the night myself and taking the cot bumpers off my son's cot only a few years ago after reading something online that evening and not being able to sleep.

Do you feel as a traveling community you get or want the extra support from the NHS?

I read once that their is a higher infant mortality rate amongst the travelling community (stats from Ireland show its 4 times higher).

I think one factor is that there are a lot of cousin marriages continuing down generations in the traveller community and so recessive genes are expressed more often.

meringue i usually go to asda but i do love to go to a farm now and then for meat

coldcottage i dont know why this is? we do usually have blankets evt in cribs but diamontes do be on the outside i dont personally know anyoneqhat has lost their baby through cot death ect

Coldcottage minority groups often experience health inequalities, can be a combination of factors such as poverty, disadvantage, discrimination or that services are just not designed for them

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/26/black-maternal-mortality-babies-san-francisco-crisis

I've found out yesterday that the team I worked for a few years ago disbands tomorrow due to budget cuts and most of the team are now redundant. The team includes traveller liaison officers who spent years trying to form links with the travelling community to offer support and advice. They supported mainly the women and children. Another local authority service gone.