I have also seen the Irish Travellers referred to in the news media as "the travelling community" for example, "the young woman was a member of the travelling community." This seems fairly respectful and is not a moniker but a descriptive way of seeing it.

Interesting about the British "wannabes" being what some would call "drop outs." I met and observed a LOT of these people during the solstice season two summers ago and some of them seemed way more authentic, somehow, than others; some had their caravans and their tightly-knit groups, and some were genuinely respectful of the environment, for example, and some were just as likely to scream drunkenly about "Stonehenge belongs to the people!" and then toss their lager cans on the sacred ground beneath their feet, or clamber on the stones adding more damage...I also saw a great many people who seemed to live on beer and cigarettes...(and various drugs as well)...looking at us like we had two heads when we wanted to have some food with our beer...The most shocking was the people who claimed to be travellers or pagan pilgrims travelling to sacred sites (Avebury and Glastonbury) and camping out and leaving their site absolutely covered in garbage...

It makes me curious to know how this particular community evolved...today's "hedge-hobos" as one friend refers to himself, do not apparently all share the same basic philosophy or respect for the earth...