Running away to Join the Circus

Running away to Join the Circus

Salmon Mc Carthy ran away from home at age 16 when the circus came through his small town in upstate New York. He was a member of the notorious travelers and had lived in their encampments growing up a petty criminal as most of the travellers were. He never went to school and was home-schooled. They moved every couple of months, many of them one step ahead of the law. Many were petty con artists, the kids often were used as drug runners, and everyone was engaged in petty crime. That is just what they did. They were infamous for being fake roofers targeting the elderly living alone, sometimes when they felt like it, they did some work, but most of the time they took people’s money and ran off moving their camp to another town when people complained.

The travelers were a distinct group of Irish origin. They soon had clans in Canada, the UK, and the US. They lived in stolen recreation vehicles and trailers, and traveler families had about 25 adults and 10 children. Although often considered gypsies, they were not related to the gypsies according to DNA analysis.

The travelers had a strict code of conduct. They lied and conned outsiders, but they never lied to the clan’s leaders and the clan leaders never lied to the family members. The family considered you to be a member of the clan for life and if you left the clan, you were expected to keep the clan’s secrets for life. Given the high level of petty and not-so-petty crime and their association with other criminal organizations, they took this pretty seriously, and in fact, authorized the killing of ex-family members who talk out of school so to speak.

He dreamed of escaping, hating the petty crime, and the constant lies and cons and games the family used on outsiders. He wanted to break free by going to the circus.

One day he witnessed a murder committed by his uncle when they went to collect money they were owed by the Chinese mafia who controlled the local illegal weed trade. The Chinese mafia were notorious for violence. Based on a clan in Flushing New York who were originally from Fukian province, China.

the Travelers dealt drugs among other petty crimes. Participating in a murder though was something that Salmon did not want to take part in. He was afraid of his uncle, and of the Chinese mafia. he had to leave.

Salmon told the clan leader, who was his father, his other. And the rest of the clan that he wanted to leave and join the circus. He said,

“Murdering the Chinese Mafia leader the other day well it is not going to end well. We will have to move on. But I am afraid that someone is going to blame me for the murder. I’ ain’t going to stand for that. I have to leave.

Sam Mc Carthy said,

“Well, Salmon, we may have an opportunity. The circus master may be willing to hire you. he is looking for a lion tamer as his lion killed the previous trainder. But remember,the code of silence applies to you. If you join the circus and later want to rejoin the family you are always welcome. Many of us have been part of the circus, including myself. So let me inquire,”

Sam talked to Mr. Jones, the circus leader, who told him that there was an immediate opening, as the lion had injured the lion tamer. They negotiated a cash offer to release Salmon to the circus, and Max his father was pleased that they would be getting rid of a witness to the murder. He was also ready for the clan to move on down the road..

he was a bit afraid of the Chinese mafia. they were well known for carrying out vendetta so Salmon had to go. Good riddance Max thought.

The travelers had a long-term relationship with the circus, many of them had been members. He trained daily to learn the ropes and became a lion tamer at age 16. He was soon part of the circus family, feeling at home because circus folks were like his traveler family, outcasts, rebels, and travelers.

He rose through the circus and became the chief director of the circus. He made many changes to ensure that the circus would remain relevant to the modern world. But he continued the long-standing relationship with the travelers, hiring many of them over the years. The lion was sold off to one of the travelers.

Certainly! The Irish Travellers, also known as Pavees or Mincéirí, have a rich and fascinating history. Let’s explore their origins, culture, and journey:
1. Origins and Language:
o Irish Travellers are a traditionally peripatetic indigenous ethno-cultural group originating in Ireland.
o They predominantly speak English, but many also communicate in Shelta, a language with mixed English and Irish origins.
o Despite being occasionally referred to as “Gypsies”, Irish Travellers are not genetically related to the Romani people (who are of Indo-Aryan origin).
o Genetic analysis indicates that Travellers have Irish extraction and likely diverged from the settled Irish population around the 1600s, possibly during the time of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.
o Centuries of cultural isolation have led Travellers to become genetically distinct from the settled Irish population.
2. Population and Ethnic Status:
o Irish Traveller communities are found not only in Ireland but also in the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada.
o As of 2016, there were approximately 32,302 Travellers within Ireland, representing 0.7% of the total population of Ireland.
o The total population of people with Traveller ancestry is difficult to estimate, as many individuals of Traveller descent do not explicitly identify themselves as Travellers.
o In the United Kingdom alone, it is believed that up to 300,000 people have Traveller heritage.
3. Rights and Recognition:
o Traveler rights groups long advocated for ethnic status, which they successfully achieved from the Irish government in 2017.
o The British Government considers Travellers resident in the UK to form part of the Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller (GRT) community.
4. Nomenclature:
o Travelers refer to themselves as “miners” in Gammon or “an Lucht siúil” in Irish (meaning “the walking people”).
5. Oral Histories and Origins:
o There are numerous theories and oral histories surrounding the origins of Irish Travellers as a distinct group.
o Research has been complicated by the fact that the group appears to have no written records of its own, relying primarily on oral tradition through storytelling to disseminate its history and culture.
o The estimated time of divergence between the settled population and Travellers was set at a minimum of 8 generations ago (approximately 240 years) and a maximum of 14 generations ago (approximately 420 years). The best-fit estimation points to around 360 years ago, placing their emergence in the 1650s1.
In summary, Irish Travellers have a resilient heritage, a unique language, and a place in Ireland’s social fabric that spans centuries. Their journey is one of cultural preservation, adaptation, and identity. 🌟
For further exploration, you can refer to the Wikipedia page on Irish Travellers1

The Chinese mafia’s involvement in the illegal marijuana business in the United States has been a growing concern. Reports indicate that Chinese organized crime groups have become dominant players in America’s illicit marijuana market, with activities ranging from cultivation to distribution. These groups are known for their resources and ability to evade law enforcement, often moving from state to state to carry out their operations1.
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of marijuana farms funded by Chinese investors or owners, particularly in states like California, Oklahoma, and Oregon. Law enforcement agencies have linked many of these operations to Chinese nationals, with suspicions of ties to organized crime and potentially even the Chinese Communist Party2.
For example, in Oklahoma, a large percentage of licensed marijuana farms have been flagged for suspicious activity, with investigations revealing connections to Chinese funding and labor. The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics believes that a substantial number of these farms are linked to Chinese investors and organized crime2.
These criminal activities not only involve the production and sale of illegal marijuana but also have broader implications, potentially funneling proceeds back to China where they could support other illicit activities, such as the trafficking of fentanyl or cybercrime, posing a national security threat3.
It’s important to note that while these reports shed light on the issue, the full extent of the Chinese mafia’s involvement in the illegal marijuana trade in the U.S. is complex and continues to evolve as law enforcement and policymakers respond to the challenge123.