- published: 01 Oct 2012
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Irish Travellers (Irish: an lucht siúil) or Pavee are a traditionally nomadic people of ethnic Irish origin, who maintain a separate language and set of traditions. They live predominantly in the Republic of Ireland as well as having large numbers in the United Kingdom and in the United States.
Travellers refer to themselves as Minceir or Pavees in their own language or in Irish as an Lucht Siúil, meaning literally "the walking people".
Travellers are often referred to by the terms tinkers, knackers or itinerants in Ireland. While in other countries the term gypsies or didicoy can be used to describe the community. Some of these terms refer to services that were traditionally provided by them, tinkering (or tinsmithing), for example, being the mending of tinware such as pots and pans, and knackering, being the acquisition of dead or old horses for slaughter. Tinker and especially knacker is used as a pejorative against Travellers in Ireland.
The term gypsy first appeared in record in the 16th century from a category of people thought to be Egyptians. Other names, specifically derogatory, such as pikey and gypo or gippo (derived from Gypsy) are also heard, though rarely in Ireland itself.