Sound as a Bell & Other Irishisms

 

Photo: Still Life in Powerscourt Demesne, Ireland by Riihele.

“The most obvious trait, or should I say, the most prominent characteristic of an Irishman/ -woman is their absolutely delicious wit. It shines through everything and anything that is done in the country.” – I wrote that in an earlier entry called, The Emerald Isle -The Wit which I did in April. And I continued to say this:

“The Irish are quick as a flash in inventing brilliant nicknames and the like. There is a statue in a street in Dublin called ‘The Molly Malone’ of the famous ballad. Her nickname is ‘The Tart with the Cart’ – because the poor girl has a rather too low-cut outfit on her! She is the one with the ‘cockles and mussels…’

Also, there was prior to the Spike another statue on that spot called ‘Anna Livia‘ – another name for the River Liffey. Her less flattering nickname was: ‘The Floozie in the Jacuzzi’ as she was sitting there with all the water pouring over her in the torrents and streams!”

IRISHISMS -The Way that the Irish Express Tings

Irishism	Example	Meaning
Sound as a bell	She is sound as a bell!	She is a great person.
Effin	Effin n blindin	To curse/to swear
Eejit	Ya big Eejit!	You are a fool/you’re silly
Shindig	Goin for a shindig.	Go to a dance hall/disco
Off your face	She was off her face.	She was tipsy, pickled.(slightly drunk)
How ‘ ya	How’ya Mick?	How are you, Mick?
Craic	Craic and banterIt was craic.	To have fun. It was fun.
Yer wan, yer man	Yer man said …	Person about whom you are talking about to another.
Jammer, banger	His jammer, his banger	His car(not the latest model)
Jammers	The place was jammers.	The place was full.

I place and have always placed a great value for the sense of humour in persons since childhood so to me it is an added bonus to be in situations of a howling comedy with all its multiple sides of tragedy and comedy to it.The bitter-sweet of life. The humour is the spice of life and a great medicine in times of great joy and at all times.

I see:

‘The sense of humour as a parachute that makes the landing softer in all the turns and trials of the life and the living.‘

(My very own saying, by the way.)

Tis for now yet again. Riihele xx.

Go Spare & Other Irishisms

“COMEDY IS ABUNDANCE OF LIFE.”

Patrick Kavanagh said the above and also this: “To write lively verse or prose, to be involved with comedy, requires enormous physical and mental power. The more energy is in a poem or prose work, the more comic it is.” (Collected Prose*)

As you may know, the Irish are brilliant at making colourful expressions and nicknames to people and things. Quoting meself: “The most obvious trait, or should I say, the most prominent characteristic of an Irishman/ -woman is their absolutely delicious wit. It shines through everything and anything that is done in the country.” – I wrote that in an earlier entry called, The Emerald Isle -The Wit which I did some time ago. And I continued to say this:

“The Irish are quick as a flash in inventing brilliant nicknames and the like. There is a statue in a street in Dublin called ‘The Molly Malone’ of the famous ballad. Her nickname is ‘The Tart with the Cart’ – because the poor girl has a rather too low-cut outfit on her! She is the one with the ‘cockles and mussels…’ Also, there was prior to the Spike another statue on that spot called ‘Anna Livia‘ – another name for the River Liffey. Her less flattering nickname was: ‘The Floozie in the Jacuzzi’ as she was sitting there with all the water pouring over her in the torrents and streams!”

IRISHISMS -The Way that the Irish Express Tings I

Irishism	Example	Meaning
Go spare	I nearly went spare!	Lose one’s mental faculties.
What’s the face	What’s his/her face?	What’s his/her name?
Press	Food is in the press.	Food is in the cupboard.
In one’s face	She’s really in-your-face.	She’s really upfront.
Tingy, yoke	This tingy/yoke	This thing.
Hot press	Towels are in the hot press.	Towels are in the airing cupboard.
Whatsy-ma-callit	That one whatsy-ma-callit?	That one what is his/her name again?
Rip-off	It was an absolute rip-off!	It was so expensive and not really worth it.
Up to me eyes and beyond	I am up to me eyes and beyond!	I have too much to do!
Softness coming	There is softness coming.	It is about to rain.

Do You know any of these sayings?

I place and have always placed a great value for the sense of humour in persons since childhood so to me it is an added bonus to be in situations of a howling comedy with all its multiple sides of tragedy and comedy to it.The bitter-sweet of life. The humour is the spice of life and a great medicine in times of great joy and at all times.

The sense of humour as a parachute,
that makes the landing softer in all the turns and trials of the life and the living.
(My very own saying, by the way.)

Tis for now yet again. Riihele xx.

* Collected Prose
No Earthly Estate God and Patrick Kavanagh: An Anthology
by Tom Stack.
PHOTO: HARP & THE HARPIST by Riihele.