Irish Traveller

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Irish Travellers are a nomadic or itinerant people of Irish origin living in Ireland, Great Britain and the United States. They refer to themselves as the Pavee. It is estimated 23,000 Travellers live in Ireland, 15,000 in Great Britain and 7,000 in the United States.<ref name="number"> [1]Irish Medical Journal. Traveller Health: A National Strategy 2002-2005</ref>

Irish Travellers are not considered a separate ethnic group for the purposes of the Race Relations Act Amendment (2000).

1 Language, customs and origins
2 Discrimination, cultural suspicion and conflict
- 2.1 Allegations of increased crime following traveller arrival in an area
- 2.2 Travellers using unauthorised sites
3 Planning issues in the UK
4 Irish Travellers in film
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Language, customs and origins

Irish Travellers are distinguished from the settled communities of the countries in which they live by their own language and customs. Shelta is the traditional language of Travellers but they also speak English with a distinct accent and mannerisms. The historical origins of Travellers as a group has been a subject of dispute. Some argue that the Irish Travellers are descended from another nomadic people called the Tarish. It was once widely believed that Travellers were descended from landowners who were made homeless in Oliver Cromwell's military campaign in Ireland, but evidence shows that they have dwelt in Ireland since at least the Middle Ages.

[edit] Discrimination, cultural suspicion and conflict

In Ireland travellers are often referred to (offensively) as tinker or knacker. Labels such as gypsy and pikey are commonly applied to traveller communities in Great Britain. Gypsy is more properly applied to the Roma people but is offensive to both groups. The derogatory terms gyppo and gypolata, derived from gypsy, are also heard in Great Britain. In turn, travellers refer to anyone who does not share their nomadic lifestyle as a Gorgio or, more derogatorily, gadjes.

The Traveller lifestyle has often produced friction with local communities, especially in urban areas. In 1530, Henry VIII ordered their departure within forty days unless they chose to abandon their 'naughty, idle and ungodly life'. Friction between Traveller and local community are typically attributed to allegations of increased crime following traveller arrival in an area.

[edit] Allegations of increased crime following traveller arrival in an area

Like other nomadic groups in Europe and the Americas, Travellers are often accused of robbery, scams, and other delinquent behaviour. An October 11, 2002 Dateline NBC episode suggests that Travellers habitually defraud their neighbours, demanding high prices for substandard day labor [2].

Traveller advocates counter that Travellers are a distinct ethnic group with an ancient history, and there is no statistical evidence that Traveller presence raises the local crime rate. The struggle for equal rights for these transient people led to the passing of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 that safeguarded their rights, lifestyle and culture in the UK.

The controversial book License To Steal by Dennis Marlock and John Dowling posits the existence within traveller communities of a Gypsy Mafia. There are, however, few statistics relating to alleged crime by traveller communities. Since the 1990s the use of pressure groups to fight and promote traveller image has become more prevalent. Many of these pressure groups liken the phrase Gypsy crime to Jewish crime, declaring it unacceptable to talk of crime caused by travellers in such a stereotypical way as to suggest it is endemic and typical within traveller communities.

[edit] Travellers using unauthorised sites

A complaint against travellers in the United Kingdom is that of unauthorised traveller sites being established on privately owned land or on council-owned land not designated for that purpose. Designated sites for travelers' use are provided by the council, and funds are made available to local authorities for the construction of new sites, as well as the maintenance and extension of existing sites, under the Government's "Gypsy and Traveller Sites Grant". However, travellers also frequently make use of other, non-authorised sites, including public "common land" and private plots including large fields. Travellers claim that there is an under-provision of authorised sites - the Gypsy Council estimates an under-provision amounts to insufficent sites for 3,500 people [3] - and that their use of non-authorised sites as an alternative is therefore unavoidable.

[edit] Planning issues in the UK

Recent criticism against Travellers in the UK centers on Travellers who have bought land, built amenities without planning permission, then fought eviction attempts by claiming it would be an abuse of human rights to remove them from their homes. The families applied for retrospective planning permission whilst they were living on their land. This received much media attention during the British 2005 General Election.

The use of retrospective planning permission arose after the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, which Michael Howard brought through the Commons, started closing down many of the sites originally provided for the community. Howard advised that Travellers should buy their own land instead and assurances were made that they would be allowed to settle it, despite allegations that Travellers find it difficult to secure planning permission approval.

[edit] Irish Travellers in film

Irish Travellers have been portrayed on a number of occasions on film. Examples include the films Pavee Lacken a documentary on the life of a young traveller girl in Dublin and Into the West that tells the story of two Traveller boys running away from home.

The film Snatch features Brad Pitt as a stereotypical Traveller who is an undefeatable bareknuckle boxing champion. His clan also defrauds the protagonists of the film by selling them a camper that falls apart the minute they try to tow it from the premises.

In Chocolat, a clan of nomadic travellers are depicted as gypsies, however, it is noted that they are said to be of Irish origin.

Traveller is another film, starring Bill Paxton, Mark Wahlberg, and Julianna Margulies.

A man described as a Tinker was also featured in the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. A travelling tinker family is depicted in the movie The Field and the daughter is frowned upon as a potential bride.

The documentary, SOUTHPAW: The Francis Barrett Story, won the Audience Prize at the 1999 New York Irish Film Festival. It followed Galway boxer Francis (Francie) Barrett for three years and showed Francie overcoming discrimination as he progressed up the amateur boxing ranks to eventually carry the Irish flag and box for Ireland at the age of 19 during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Francie turned professional in August 2000 and now fights at light welterweight, out of Wembley, London. [4]

A documentary-style drama release in 2005, Pavee Lackeen (Traveller Girl), depicted the life of a young Traveller girl, and featured non-actors in the lead roles. Its director and co-writer, Perry Ogden, won an IFTA Award in the category of Breakthrough Talent.

During 2004's "Live at Vicar Street" Recorded by newly reformed Irish Folk act Planxty, Christy Moore mentions hearing Traveller John Reilly sing for the first time and acknowledging it as a "Life Changing" experience going on to dedicate the song "As I Roved Out" to the memory of John Reilly.