Romani people in Ireland explained

Romani people in Ireland should not be confused with Irish Travellers.

Group:Romani people in Ireland
Total:≈ 2,500~3,000

The number of Romani people in Ireland is roughly estimated, as the Central Statistics Office collects its data based on nationality and not ethnic origin. For this reason a precise demographic profile of the Romani in Ireland is not available. Some estimates of Roma in Ireland give the population at 1,700 in 2004,[1] rising to between 2,500 and 3,000 in 2005.[2] Irish Roma have been present in Ireland for centuries, originating from historical migrations from Britain and Continental Europe. Although they mixed with Irish Travellers and settled Irish natives, they have preserved their Romani identity across generations.[3] [4] [5] However, the majority of the Roma population in Ireland today derive from recent migrations, primarily from Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Italy.

History

Origin

The Romani people originate from Northern India,[6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] presumably from the northwestern Indian states Rajasthan[10] [11] and Punjab.[10]

The linguistic evidence has indisputably shown that roots of Romani language lie in India: the language has grammatical characteristics of Indian languages and shares with them a big part of the basic lexicon, for example, body parts or daily routines.

More exactly, Romani shares the basic lexicon with Hindi and Punjabi. It shares many phonetic features with Marwari, while its grammar is closest to Bengali.[12]

Genetic findings in 2012 suggest the Romani originated in northwestern India and migrated as a group.[7] [8] [13] According to a genetic study in 2012, the ancestors of present scheduled tribes and scheduled caste populations of Northern India, traditionally referred to collectively as the Ḍoma, are the likely ancestral populations of the modern European Roma.

In February 2016, during the International Roma Conference, the Indian Minister of External Affairs stated that the people of the Roma community were children of India. The conference ended with a recommendation to the Government of India to recognize the Roma community spread across 30 countries as a part of the Indian diaspora.[14]

Migration to Ireland

Romani have been present in Ireland since the 18th century. Traditionally, Romani arrived from Britain for seasonal work, either as farm labourers or as coppersmiths

Post-1989

After the dissolution of Eastern Bloc, thousands of Romani, among others, sought asylum in Ireland and other Western countries. Their arrival prompted contrasting editorials in the mainstream newspapers.[15] In 1989, Romani started to arrive in Ireland,[16] predominantly by hiding in container lorries. In the summer of 1998, several hundred Romani arrived hidden in freight containers in Rosslare Harbour, many of them illegally trafficked.

A second impetus for Romani immigration arose after the admittance of an additional 15 states to the European Union, with the populations coming to Dublin and the other major towns and cities.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ☼ Portail des civilisations anciennes. Nccri.ie. 15 December 2017.
  2. http://www.paveepoint.ie/pdf/Roma_Report.pdf Report in Roma Educational Needs in Ireland
  3. https://www.nihe.gov.uk/Documents/Research/Shared-Communities-Page/Roma-community-Northern-Ireland-and-Housing.aspx?ext=. THE ROMA COMMUNITY in Northern Ireland and housing: A SCOPING REVIEW
  4. Joyce . David . 2023 . Gypsies in Ireland—a Hiberno-Romany Community . History Ireland . 31 . 3 .
  5. Web site: An Irish Romany writes . 2024-08-02 . Travellers Times . en.
  6. Book: Hancock, Ian F. . 2005 . 2002 . We are the Romani People . Univ of Hertfordshire Press . 978-1-902806-19-8 . 70 .

    ‘While a nine century removal from India has diluted Indian biological connection to the extent that for some Romani groups, it may be hardly representative today, Sarren (1976:72) concluded that we still remain together, genetically, Asian rather than European’

    .
  7. 10.1016/j.cub.2012.10.039. Isabel. Mendizabal. Reconstructing the Population History of European Romani from Genome-wide Data. Current Biology. 6 December 2012. 22. 24. 2342–2349. 23219723. free. 10230/25348. free.
  8. News: Sindya N. Bhanoo. Genomic Study Traces Roma to Northern India. New York Times. 11 December 2012.
  9. Current Biology.
  10. Book: Flamenco on the Global Stage: Historical, Critical and Theoretical Perspectives . K. Meira Goldberg . Ninotchka Devorah Bennahum . Michelle Heffner Hayes . 50 . 2015-09-28. 2016-05-21. 9780786494705 .
  11. Book: World Music: Africa, Europe and the Middle East . registration . Roma Rajastan Penjab. . Rough Guides . Simon Broughton . Mark Ellingham . Richard Trillo . 147 . 2016-05-21. 9781858286358 . 1999 .
  12. Milena. Hübschmannová. Romaňi čhib – romština: Několik základních informací o romském jazyku. Bulletin Muzea Romské Kultury. 4/1995. 1995 . Muzeum romské kultury. Brno. Zatímco romská lexika je bližší hindštině, marvárštině, pandžábštině atd., v gramatické sféře nacházíme mnoho shod s východoindickým jazykem, s bengálštinou..
  13. Web site: 5 Intriguing Facts About the Roma. Live Science.
  14. Web site: Can Romas be part of Indian diaspora?. khaleejtimes.com. 29 February 2016. 4 March 2016.
  15. Book: Watt, Philip. Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Ireland: the potential of community development strategies . Combat Poverty Agency. Nov 1998. 17. 2009-11-20.
  16. Web site: Social Work in Europe. 26 March 2018. Russell House Publishing. Google Books.