Former presidential hopeful Peter Casey at Cabragh Bridge, Thurles, Co Tipperary on October 18, during his campaign
This afternoon.
The Traveller families at Cabragh Bridge in Thurles, Co Tipperary have released the following statement:
“Different elements of the media are now asking us for our opinion about what seems to be a big support for Peter Casey in the presidential election.
Our family has already gone through hell because of the hatred directed against us in all of this. And we have had to learn very quickly that the media were happy to play a very big part in it all.
Nobody seemed to want to know the truth because it was getting in the way of a good sensational media story.
It was a good story that we were demanding houses so that was what was printed – even though we never even asked for houses in the first place.
It was a good story that we demanded stables built and acres for each family, so that was what was printed – even though we have never even asked for this.
At no time did the media question the [Tipperary] County Council here about the real story and how they used us and whipped up public opposition so they could go back on their original agreement.
Only a couple of journalists even wanted to know the full story and even they had a problem getting the truth printed.
We have suffered from all these lies and hatred and our children have suffered.
We have never got a fair hearing and, when people are asking us now what we think about the election, we are talking only to journalists and interviewers that we can trust.
Are we surprised at the big amount of support for Casey?
No. We are not.
Casey was able to pick the worst of people in Irish society and set them up against each other. When you get the settled people to put the blame on the Travellers for everything, then nobody needs to question who is really responsible for the terrible conditions the government has people living in.
A lot of settled people saw through these lies, and we would like to thank them for their support in our dignified protest when Mr Casey decided to ‘visit’ us.
Casey probably now feels he has got somewhere through using us and and all the Traveller community in a hate campaign.
So we know he will keep going and there will be probably a lot more Caseys coming out when they see this works.
We have learned a lot from this very big ordeal we were put through.
We are asking the media now to learn from it as well.
Please check out the facts before you use people in this way – no matter how popular it might be to run down Travellers.”
Pic: Ben Sweeney
Previously: Countering Casey
millionaire directs austerity anger on the poorest of society and the country fell for it… Christ we’re a pretty thick bunch sometimes..
and a millionaire who doesn’t even live here – and has been exposed as being completely out of touch and misinformed about what’s going on here
A bit like George Soros then ….
How so?
no, nothing at all like george soros
george is a BILLIONAIRE
Maybe the family should bring an action against the council and those involved
It really was an example of how our society has moved into the gutter
Mind you the silver lining is how the Irish view marginalised groups
who wrote that for them? Matt ‘censor wrong think’ Cooper?
I suppose it just might be possible that someone in the Traveller community wrote that themselves? Wouldn’t that be something?
So the council just built six houses off their own bat for families who never looked for them!
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/jury-gives-verdict-on-trio-after-attack-on-gaa-star-26068674.html
I was told by someone in the area that it had been well know for years that the families didn’t want the houses but the council went ahead with it and then went to the papers when the inevitable happened.
[insert link to an irrelevant article]
What has that court case got to do with this ridiculous affair?
@gorugeen: Not all travellers are criminals, but some are?
Again. What has that case got to do with this situation? Settled folks on the housing list don’t commit crimes, no?
So what is dispute in not moving in to properties in Tipperary?
“They were to be built with a half-acre behind each house, with two stables,” Philip McCarthy, one of the residents of the site at Cabragh Bridge, told the Irish Examiner at the weekend.
“They [Tipperary County Council] changed it to a group project, like a mini-housing estate. The agreement was two stables and a half an acre for the horses, but they never came up with that.”
“Our livestock is our culture, and a big, big part of our life. We’ll have to come to some sort of agreement, because otherwise it’s no good to us.”
“We have paddocks here and stables and stuff, which is not across the way [in the new development]. It’s a beautiful project and we’re happy with the project, but there’s no room for the livestock. That’s what’s holding us up at the moment.”
This long quote, from a named source, seems to contradict what is now being said in the statement. Either they are accusing the Irish Examiner of inventing quotes from whole cloth, or they are being economical with the truth in their ‘mature recollection’ of their discussions with the council.
Thanks, Rob.
Except it doesn’t contradict what is now being said. Your comprehension skills are still lacking, Rob_G.
“The agreement was two stables and a half an acre for the horses, but they never came up with that.”
– Philip McCarthy, Cabragh Bridge, 2018.
Not getting it,Rob. Keep at it. You may get there eventually.
“…we never even asked for houses in the first place.”
“The agreement was two stables and a half an acre for the horses, but they never came up with that.”
You appear to have difficulty comprehending the fact that these two statements do not contradict one another.
Have you bothered to read the story behind this whole debacle? Are you aware that the building project was funded by Tipp CoCo because the Traveller community had something *they* wanted?
So, they wanted the free land for the horses, and the free stables, but not the free houses? I am not sure how that would work, but fair enough.
Perhaps you can enlighten us all as to what it was that the Travellers had the CoCo wanted?
Mickey, you seem well informed. Have you any links to the story behind this whole debacle?
Still waiting for Pavee Point to address various acts such as attacks by the traveler community, to animal mistreatment etc. Or the Johnny Connors late late show appearance calling Gardai ‘scum’.
Do travellers really think that there’s no reasons why 20+% of those who voted, voted for Casey? They’re not being blamed for ‘everything’, but that doesn’t say that they are not responsible for a lot.
+ trashing hotels.
Still waiting for the settled community to disavow Keith Moon?
That was all just his generation.
They don’t want the houses, problem solved.
As for this:
“Casey was able to pick the worst of people in Irish society and set them up against each other. When you get the settled people to put the blame on the Travellers for everything, then nobody needs to question who is really responsible for the terrible conditions the government has people living in.”
Let’s be clear, Casey probably got a lot of protest votes, nothing related to travellers.
He also probably got a lot of votes from his comments on travellers.
However, it’s wrong for travellers to blame the “settled” community on all thier issues, just as it’s wrong to assume that all travellers are criminals. Instead of blaming bigotry, travellers need to refelct oin why so many of them are convicted criminals and why ordinary people are so afraid of them
@gorugeen: Not all travellers are criminals, but some are?
The news article could be a coincidence, same surname, same address.
some are, just ‘some’ is at a way higher ratio than settled people, less than 1% of the population, over 22% of the prison population, definitely the gubberments fault, couldnt be their own actions….
Either they are inherently criminal or other factors are at work. It’s not inconceivable that among those factors are poor provision of government services over generations, if not outright neglect or even hostility. Or there is a racial component that makes them more likely to to be criminals. Bit like the black population being disproportionately imprisoned in the U.S.. Which could it be I wonder.
A long statement which doesn’t contain a single reason why they rejected the new houses on offer.
Poor attempt by whoever is manipulating them in fairness.
I thought being an itinerant Traveller and setting up camp on other people’s land was part of their ” history and culture ” but apparently it’s now the government’s fault they’re forced to move from site to site leaving behind a rubbish dump.
I would fupping love to snap your jaw. X
@ Yep
Is that how you deal with those who don’t share your opinions? Are you a member of the Traveller community by any chance?
Are you a different Ollie?
U OK hun ?
Or is the hedgehog soup getting to you ?
Everybody wants to hurt you, toxic. Poor baby.
LOL!
so in a statement about being lied about, she lies. Regardless of being a traveller or not, if someone said Tipp CO.CO. went ahead and built a 1.7m development for them without being asked, i would know that to be a lie. She sorta trips herself up on that by mentioning the original agreement having stables. If they didn’t ask them they’d not have an agreement. Also, you’d swear the council were tryna do them over. They built them extremely nice houses for nothing, and the travelles say its not enough, and that they had an agreement .. agreement? you don’t have bargaining leverage when you’r getting a huge handout.
if the council put settled people in need of homes into that development the travellers would be very quick to come out and say those houses are theirs.
True story about 1(maybe 2) traveller families in my area: I get the train to work, and everyday I pass two caravan’s parked with their backs to the track close to my home. Everyday, the pile of rubbish behind them get’s bigger. Until one day on a cold January morning I said FECK THIS and emailed the council about how to report these disgusting levels of illegal dumping. Just a short 8 weeks later I get a response: “It is anticipated that we will be in a position to offer accommodation in a residential park to these families in the near future and the area will be cleaned subsequently” ………This is not what I was reporting! It is illegal to dump. It is against the law! They should be prosecuted and fined…am I wrong?? I wonder could I park up there for months, dump tonnes, yes, tonnes of rubbish and I’d be left to my own devices? I think not. My last communication to the council was in March and the rubbish pile is still growing!
It’s our culture boss.
And they would probably be considered the law-abiding ones.
Unfortunately not true Liam. We’ve had indirect/wink nudge warnings about them from AGS at a local community event as well as thefts in the area rising. I know not all are bad but the bad ones seem to be left alone. That and the low level of education and high levels of convictions in the traveling community I am leaning more toward fact territory rather than a wild crazy eyed hatred for an ethnic minority. If these behavioural consistencies applied to any other grouping of peoples I’d feel the same . As I’ve said before here Casey is a dope, but the attempts at ‘shut down’ are unnerving and eerily repetitive! This needs to be talked about on all sides, not as an insult-hurling match between ‘liberals’ and ‘racists’.
get in touch with your local hse environmental health officer and get them to report it to the council on your behalf. also, nothing lights a fire under the council like an article in your local paper together with a photo op for your local county councillor or td.