Whenever it comes to a discussion of Irish slang and idioms, it's always the same handful that come to mind; eejit, craic, bold, etc. But there's loads of others that are used all the time but that never really make it into such lists, since we're barely conscious of using them.
So every time I find myself using a lesser-known Irishism, or hear one, I add it to the list.
Today I found myself using the word "loola", meaning "lunatic", and added it to the list. I decided I might as well post the list with all the latest additions. I've put expressions in bold which occur pretty much on a daily basis. I'm confident in saying that the expressions in bold would be used thousands of times every day in Ireland.
Others are less common; most Irish people to whom I mentioned the expression "sent from Billy to Jack" had never heard it. Nevertheless, it is indeed used and it's only used in Ireland. Do an internet search if you don't believe me.
So here we go:
Youu’re some flower (You’re quite a character).
The biggest (or greatest) such-and-such that ever walked out (e.g., “The greatest liar that ever walked out”). Never used as a compliment.
Sent from Billy to Jack (Being sent from one person, department etc. to another). Quite rare.
You’re a star (Thank you).
Tell me this and tell me no more (Asked for emphasis before asking a question).
Get out of that garden (Stop messing about). Usually jocular.
You’re very good (Thank you).
You're some tulip (You’re quite a character). Rare.
At all at all (Used for emphasis).
Goodbye goodbye goodbye goodbye (Ending phonecalls).
He's a total looper (He’s crazy).
You're some boy (You’re quite a character).
In the ha’penny place (Not as good as someone else).
No bother to you! (You could easily do that).
What is this I was going to say? (Said when you lose your train of thought. I've never heard any non-Irish people say this.)
In the name and honour of all that’s good and holy (For emphasis). Rare these days, or jocular.
Fussing and foostering (Fidgeting and behaving restlessly). I get the impression this one is quite archaic, although when I mentioned it to other Irish people, they'd heard it. I've only ever heard it from my mother, who died in 2001.
Moidered (Exhausted, harassed, pestered).
Hurler on the ditch (Someone who gives advice about something they don’t do themselves).
Pass remarkable (said of someone who makes snide comments, or just intrusive comments. "He's a very pass remarkable kind of guy"-- he's the kind of person who passes remarks.)
Mílemurder (pronounced meela-murder, a combination of Irish "míle", meaning thousand, and murder. Basically means 'blue murder', a hubbub, a commotion. One of my favourites.)
The Irish Gaelic phrase "rí-rá agus rúla-bula", pronounced ree-raw ogus roola-boola, and meaning uproar and commotion, is fairly often used in Hiberno-English. I think the constituent elements are used on their own more often, to mean the same thing. Indeed, I've never actually heard the whole phrase used, to my knowledge. Always used jocularly.
Loola (mad).
I will in my eye. (I absolutely will not. "I will in my eye pay to use the bathroom". Can also be used to express scepticism about something that somebody else supposedly did: "She did in her eye get up at six in the morning".)
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