Dedworth
3rd July 2013, 01:03
http://www.channel5.com/shows/the-town-the-travellers-took-over/episodes/the-town-the-travellers-took-over
In the past few years, the Traveller community have been buying land and property in Rathkeale in County Limerick. 80% of the town's land and property now belongs to them, placing a dwindling settled community under siege.
Over the course of a six-month investigation which takes him across Europe, journalist Paul Connolly digs down to the core of Rathkeal's cross-cultural tug-of-war, uncovering a criminal network, widespread corruption and a town gripped by fear.
Rathkeale Travellers are perhaps best known for their wealth. The town's main street recalls Monte Carlo, with many in this community owning luxury cars and caravans, all of which are parked in and around hacienda-styled mansions. The vast majority of Rathkeale's Traveller residents have earned their fortunes legitimately through antique dealing, property investment and other enterprises. But there are some who choose to live outside the law.
Dubbed by some media outlets 'The Rathkeale Rovers', a crooked minority of the town's Travellers have established themselves as globe-trotting con men. Their international scams target the vulnerable and make vast quantities of money in the process. Connolly tracks a so-called 'work crew' from Rathkeale to Paris, where he blows the lid on a scam which sources claim has brought in huge sums over the years. The scam revolves around power generators, and when Connolly catches up with the crew in inner-city Paris, they are hawking the faulty goods to unsuspecting locals at hugely inflated prices.
http://th161.photobucket.com/albums/t229/GILMAK_2007/th_vomit2-1.gif
In the past few years, the Traveller community have been buying land and property in Rathkeale in County Limerick. 80% of the town's land and property now belongs to them, placing a dwindling settled community under siege.
Over the course of a six-month investigation which takes him across Europe, journalist Paul Connolly digs down to the core of Rathkeal's cross-cultural tug-of-war, uncovering a criminal network, widespread corruption and a town gripped by fear.
Rathkeale Travellers are perhaps best known for their wealth. The town's main street recalls Monte Carlo, with many in this community owning luxury cars and caravans, all of which are parked in and around hacienda-styled mansions. The vast majority of Rathkeale's Traveller residents have earned their fortunes legitimately through antique dealing, property investment and other enterprises. But there are some who choose to live outside the law.
Dubbed by some media outlets 'The Rathkeale Rovers', a crooked minority of the town's Travellers have established themselves as globe-trotting con men. Their international scams target the vulnerable and make vast quantities of money in the process. Connolly tracks a so-called 'work crew' from Rathkeale to Paris, where he blows the lid on a scam which sources claim has brought in huge sums over the years. The scam revolves around power generators, and when Connolly catches up with the crew in inner-city Paris, they are hawking the faulty goods to unsuspecting locals at hugely inflated prices.
http://th161.photobucket.com/albums/t229/GILMAK_2007/th_vomit2-1.gif