Table of Contents
Are Irish Gypsies and Romani the same?
Although they are often incorrectly referred to as “Gypsies”, Irish Travellers are not genetically related to the Romani. Genetic analysis has shown Travellers to be of Irish extraction, and that they likely diverged from the settled Irish population in the 1600s, during the time of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.
Are there Romani gypsies in Ireland?
Some estimates of Romani in Ireland give the population at 1,700 in 2004 rising to between 2,500 and 3,000 in 2005 with the majority originating from Romani populations from Ukraine and Hungary.
What do the Irish think of Travellers?
Yes they are generally despised. Firstly, there’s the fact that almost every person will have personal experience of travellers turning up and illegally camping on land near them. Rarely will the land be left clean and tidy on their departure.
What is the difference between a Romany gypsy and a Traveller?
Romany is the word that Gypsy people in England and Wales apply to themselves hence the term Romany Gypsy. Scottish Gypsy Travellers – people recognised as a separate ethnic group in Scotland who have much in common with other travellers. Roma – the word Roma is used as a catch-all term for European ‘Gypsies’.
Are Travellers white?
The Scottish census lists the category, in a slightly different form, as ‘White: Gypsy/Traveller’. In Northern Ireland, where only the term ‘White’ is used in ethnic classification, ‘Irish Traveller’ is listed as a separate “ethnic group” to ‘White’….White Gypsy or Irish Traveller.
Total population | |
---|---|
Wales | 2,785 (0.09\%) (2011) |
Are Irish Travellers from India?
There are around 300,000 Gypsy Roma and Irish Travellers in the UK – Roma Gypsies are originally from northern India, whereas Travellers are of Irish origin – and both groups are nomadic. Since 2002, Travellers have been recognised as an ethnic group and are protected under the Race Relations Act.
Do Irish Travellers have their own language?
Shelta (/ˈʃɛltə/; Irish: Seiltis) is a language spoken by Rilantu Mincéirí (Irish Travellers), particularly in Ireland and the United Kingdom. It is widely known as the Cant, to its native speakers in Ireland as De Gammon, and to the linguistic community as Shelta….
Shelta | |
---|---|
Linguasphere | 50-ACA-a |
Do Travellers have their own language?
Although they are often referred to as “Gypsies”, Irish Travellers are not genetically related to the Romani. [9] [10] Genetic analysis has shown Travellers to be of Irish extraction, and that they likely diverged from the settled Irish population in the 1600s, during the time of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland .
What is the religion of the Irish Travellers?
They are predominantly English-speaking, though many also speak Shelta, a language of mixed English and Irish origin. Religiously, the majority of Irish Travellers are Catholic, the predominant religion in the Republic of Ireland. They are one of several groups identified as ” Travellers .”
How many gypsies and Irish Travellers are there in the UK?
The self reported figure for collective Gypsy/Traveller populations were 63,193 but estimates of Irish Travellers living in Great Britain range are about 15,000 as part of a total estimation of over 300,000 Romani and other Traveller groups in the UK. The London Boroughs of Harrow and Brent contain significant Irish Traveller populations.
What language do the Irish Travellers speak?
Like their counterparts in Ireland, the Travellers here speak their own dialects of Cant, Shelta or Gammon, which can include elements of Irish, Gaelic, English, Greek, and Hebrew. Also similar to their Ireland-based counterparts, the American Irish Travellers identify as strictly Catholic and adhere to their own traditions and mores.