| Newry |
English |
Example |
| a | I | a went ta Dublin lass weekenn |
| a | of | a hadda glass a milk |
| a- | on | a'm goin ta Warrenpoint a-Sunday |
| acause a | because of | it happened acause a his mistake |
| ach! | exclamation of annoyance | ach! a've ast ye afore not ta do that! |
| ach! | general lead-in to statement (equiv. of ' well..') | ach! a dunno if ye're right about that! |
| across the watter | England/to England/in England | a'm goin across the watter nix week/Brian's workin across the watter |
| afeard | afraid | a was afeard a'd miss the bus |
| heart afeard | very frightened | a was heart afeard the house wud go afire |
| afore | before | a wuz here afore him! LISTEN |
| after | later | a have ta go now - willa seeya after? |
| after | just done it | a'm (just) after gettin home from work |
| what are ye after? | what do you want? | ye shouldn be here, so what are ye after? |
| who are ye after? | who(m) are you looking for? | a might be able ta help if ye tell me who yer after |
| ahine | behind | a wuz ahine the door whin ee come in |
| a'm not as green as a'm cabbage-luckin | I'm not as stupid as you may think | doan expeck me ta believe that - a'm not as green as a'm cabbage-luckin |
| all delighted | extremely pleased | a was all delighted when a got the postcyard from him |
| allus | always | he allus drinks too much |
| all arse about face (vulg) | very confused, mixed up | ye've got the whole story all arse about face |
| all the far | as far as | a walked from here ta Bessbrook an that's all the far a went (BD) |
| among yiz be it! | sort it out amongst yourselves! | it's nothin te do wi me - among yiz be it! LISTEN |
| aneath | under | shove them boxes aneath the table outa the way |
| apiece (pref) | each | take a shillin an gie them sixpence apiece |
| aside | beside | a wuz stannin aside im an heard im sayin it misself |
| as raw as ropes | totally lacking in tact | Oliver offended ivrybody in the meetin - ee's as raw as ropes (GH) |
| ast | ask | if ye wanna know where ee's goin ye'll have ta ast im (also past tense - 'Jemmy ast me yisterday ta lennim money') |
| ast for (ask for) | to ask after someone's health/pass on a greeting | if ye see Seamus, tellim a wuz astin forrim |
| a-tall (pref) | at all (often repeated) | a doan unnerstann that a-tall, a-tall |
| at the minute | at the moment/just now | ya cuddn talk ta him coz ee's not in at the minute |
| at the mouth a | almost at (time) | a havent bought any presents an we're right at the mouth a Christmas |
| ate the arse off him (vulg) | criticised him severely (not to his face) | Paddy toul me that Brian ait the arse off me for bein late |
| ate the face off me | gave me a good telling off (to my face) | ee nearly ait the face off me for forgettin his money |
| nearly ate me | got very angry with me | ee nearly ait me for not turnin up |
| atween | between | th' heven an ounce a sense atween the two ofim |
| away an... | common at start of dismissive phrases, especially to indicate outright disbelief | away an have a titter a wit! |
| awaya that wi ye!/away outa that wi ye! | I don't believe it!/Don't be ridiculous! | You said that to the boss? - awaya that wi ye!! |
| away ta hell | ruined/completely deteriorated | thon pub's all away ta hell since yer man tukk over it (BD) |
| away wi the fairies | talking nonsense | don't believe a word ee sez - ee's away wi the fairies (BD) |
| (saying) aye, no nor yis | (saying) absolutely nothing/neither agreeing nor disagreeing | ee wuz complainin ta me about you but I niver said aye, no nor yis |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| the B's | the 'B'-Specials - the (exclusively) Protestant armed subsidiary police force in Northern Ireland until the early 1970s | yer man McCaigue joined the B's lass week |
| ba | baby | the ba was cryin all night |
| bad article | nasty, vicious, dishonest person | watch him - he's a rail bad article! |
| bad cess! | bad luck! (may come from cess=tax) | bad cess te ye for breakin that! |
| baist | cow (beast) | a tukk three baists te market lass week |
| bad baist (pref) | vicious/violent man | he's a real bad baist, the way ee trates (treats) her |
| for man nor baist | under any circumstances | a wuddn do that for man nor baist |
| bake | face | he came home with a big bake on im cos the team lost |
| bake | mouth (used in context of 'be quiet!/shut up!') | why doan ye juss shut yer bake an stop arguin? |
| banjaxed | broken | thon yoke's no good - it's completely banjaxed |
| banty | bantam | a hink a banty's egg tastes a lot better'n a hen's |
| bap (pref)(Eliz) | bread roll | a'll have a boul a soup an a bap |
| ma feet's lack baps | feet swollen and puffy | a hadda walk all the way from the Point an ma feet's lack baps! (DMc) |
| (in his) bare pelt | naked | yer man in Annalong opened the door ta the postman in is bare pelt! |
| bat | thump/blow (n) | stop that or a'll hit ye a bat in the mouth! |
| barracks | police station | they boned him and tukk him over te the barricks |
| bear with a sore head | someone in a really grumpy/nasty mood | ee got that full lass night ee's lack a bear wi a sore head this mornin |
| beg (n) | bag | take a beg te putt the spuds in |
| beelin | inflamed with a pus-filled spot or boil/festering | a went ta the docter wi a beelin finger |
| bees (verb 'to be') | is | ee usyully bees home aroun six aclock |
| beetle | wooden tool with heavy cylindrical base for pounding washing in wash-tub | give them sheets a good thumpin with the beetle |
| behine | behind | putt the money on the fireboard b'hine the clock |
| Belfass | Belfast | a'm workin in Belfass now |
| The Belfass | The Belfast Telegraph (newspaper) | whin ye're down the town get us a Belfass an a Newry Reporter |
| belongs to | comes from/lives in | does enny of yous belong ta Bessbrook? |
| benn | bend (n) | there's a bad benn in the road at Cooper's Hill |
| big | unpleasant/angry (of expression) | ye shudda seen the big luk ee giv me! |
| big gub | unpleasant features | whin a saw the big gub on im a knew ee'd be nasty LISTEN |
| big man (pref) | important person | he's a big man in the timmer yard |
| bile | boil (n) | ee adda big bile on is neck |
| blert | offensive person | thon boy's a cheeky wee blert |
| blether | someone who talks complete nonsense | ye cyant believe a word ee sez - ee's only an oul blether! |
| bletherin | talking nonsense | stop yer bletherin an lissen ta me! |
| block (pref) | chopped-up log | it's coul in here - putt a coupla blocks in the grate |
| blone | woman of ill-repute | she's a real blone - she'd go wi enny Tom, Dick or Harry! |
| blootert | drunk | a went home blootert from the pub |
| bloothert | persistent cough or sneezing fit | that's a terrible bloothert ye have - must be the damp SRS |
| blow (n) | braggart | don't lissen te him - he's just an oul blow! |
| blue-arse fly(vulg) | blue-bottle | there wuz a big blue-arse fly on the mait in Moffat's windy |
| boak | vomit | ee boaked is dinner all up |
| bogey | child's cart made of wood and old pram-wheels. Old ball-races also used as wheels. | a need a big bit a coard ta steer ma bogey |
| bold (pref) | naughty | you're a very bold boy! (to child) |
| bone (v) | seize/arrest | the p'lice boned im in the market |
| bonefire | bonfire | there wuz a big bonefire at the top a Talbot Street on the Twelf |
| bound up | constipated | see physic |
| boy | man/fellow (often of dubious character) | a wudnn get mixed up wi thon boy if I wuz you |
| the Boys | the IRA | a've heard it said ee's one a the Boys |
| boys-a-boys | well, I'll be...! (expressing wonder) | Newry Town won 3-1? Boys-a-boys! |
| brattle | rattle (of thunder) | there wuz that bigga brattle a thunder that it wakened me up |
| brave | long (distance) | it's a brave step te Derry from here |
| brave | long (time) | a know Michael well - it's a brave while since a seen im, but |
| brave (few) | quite a lot (number) | there wuz a brave few in the pub lass night |
| brave | very | tha's a brave big house yer man lives in |
| brave | very good | tha's a brave watch ye've got there |
| brave | considerable | Peter's a brave age now |
| brave | very pleasant (weather) | it's a brave day theday |
| brave bit | quite a lot (amount) | ye paid a brave bit for that heifer/a've done a brave bit a the work |
| brave penny | a lot of money | Sean did a good job forus but ee charged me a brave penny forrit |
| brave and early/(other adjectives) | quite/fairly (whatever!) | ye'd need ta go brave an early ta get ta Antrim by dinner-time |
| bravely | in good health/well | Willie wuzn too well lass week but ee's bravely now |
| break out | go back on the booze in a big way after being 'on the wagon' | John's been off the booze for six months but ee broke out lass Saterdy night |
| breadman | man who delivers bread door-to-door | whin the breadman comes get three sliced pan |
| on the broo | getting unemployment benefit (Corruption of Unemployment Bureau) | a have te sign on at the broo ivry Thoresday |
| bror | brother | ma bror's down in Dublin for the week |
| brung | brought | ee brung is bror ta the meetin |
| bucky brier/briar | wild rose (common in hedges and the thick, springy stems great for making a bow for games of bows-and-arrows) | a cut this bow from a bucky brier on Monk's Hill |
| buck eejit | complete idiot | a wuddn let im do the job cos ee's a buck eejit |
| buckettin (pref) | raining very heavily | it wuz buckettin that heavy yistery that it all come in unner the big door |
| bun | (almost any kind of) small cake or pastry | a'll just have a cuppa tay an a wee bun |
| bundle (n) | heap | thon motor's a bundle a rust! |
| burl | spin | a borled aroun that much durin the dance that a'm dizzy |
| a wee Bush (rhymes with 'lush'!) | a measure of Bushmills Irish whiskey | a'll have a wee Bush ta warm misself up |
| bust (v) | thump/beat up | if a get m'hands on im a'll bust im/bust is ear |
| but | though/but (transposed to end of sentences) | it wuzn't me that done it, but |
| buttonhole (pref) | grab the attention of | ee buttonholed me outside the bank and a wuz stuck withim for half-an-hour |
| byng | earth-covered stack of potatoes stored in field | pat down the sides a that byng wi'a spade so's the rain'll run off it |
| byre | cowshed | drive them two baists inta the byre |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| cat (pronounced 'cyat') | dreadful/awful | ye bought that record? - it's cyat! |
| cat melojiin (melodeon) | broken/useless (equivalent of banjaxed) | thon oul trasher (thresher) is cat melojiin |
| champ | mashed potato mixed with scallions | cyin a have some butter on ma champ? |
| channel (n) | gutter in street | the council men left all the rubbige in the channel |
| chapel | Catholic church (building) | the chapel's down the street pass the chorch (church) |
| it's a charity! (derogatory) | serves him right! | if ee's lost his money it's a charity! |
| he's no charity! | doesn't deserve sympathy/support | don't give it to him - he's no charity |
| childer | children | them childer have my heart crucified |
| chile | child | that chile niver stops cryin |
| clabbers | mud/muddy water | ee come in outa the gyardin wi'is trousers covered in clabbers (SRS) |
| cleg (pref) | horse-fly | a was bit on the arm with a big cleg |
| clert | someone who is stupidly awkward | you've spilt the paint, ya silly clert! (SRS) |
| click (v) | start relationship/'get off with' | Charlie clicked wi Bronagh at the dance |
| click (n) | group (extended family) | there's a whole click a them McCanns in Crieve |
| clock (v) | recognise/spot | a clocked im sneakin in late |
| clock (v) | what a hen does sitting on its eggs | hence the definition below? |
| clock (v) | sit (overstay welcome) | a doan want her clocked in my kitchen till all hours |
| clock (n) | large cockcroach | a seen a big clock walkin up the wall a the kitchen this mornin (SRS) |
| clocker | large patch of spittle | ee leff a big clocker on the futtpad in fronta ma windy |
| clod (v) | throw | them boys wuz cloddin stones at each orr (other) in the park (BD) |
| clype | piece/slice | a hadda bitta bread anna clype a ham |
| coalhole (pref) | small shed/bunker for storing coal (it was sometimes stored under the stairs) | get a buckit a coal outa the coalhole |
| coalman | man who delivers bags of coal door-to-door | whin the coalman comes, tell im ta drop two begs a slack in the coalhole |
| cockshot | target (any item will do) | putt that plate up as a cockshot an we cyin throw stones attit |
| coddin | joking | ee sez ee earns a hunderd a week - but ee must be coddin me (BD) |
| actin the cod | behaving foolishly/clowning | how kin ennybody take ye seriously whin yer allus actin the cod? (BD) |
| coggly/coggily | wobbly | thon vase'll fall off the fireboard - it's coggly |
| connected to/with | related to (family) | are you connected t' the Scotts in Cowan Street? |
| cord (pronounced 'coard') (pref) | string, no matter how thin | tie that parcel wi a piece a coard |
| corp | body/corpse | the corp'll be in the house the night afore the burial |
| couldn't listen to him | said of someone who is being irritating/objectionable | whin ee gets a few drinks innim ye cuddn lissen t'im (GH) |
| cough that would rend rocks | an extremely bad cough | when a had the flu a hadda cough that wud rend rocks |
| coul (pronounced 'cowl') | cold | the room wuz very coul afore the fire wuz lit |
| coup (pronounced 'cowp') | overturn | ee coupt the motor on a bad benn |
| couped (pronounced 'cowped') | exhausted/falling asleep (of a child) | thon chile's couped - take im home an puttim ta bed |
| cowboy | thoroughly unpredictable/unreliable person who charms/bluffs his way through life (a 'chancer'/bluffer) | there's no way that Liam will ivver become the manager - ee's too much of a cowboy |
| cow clap | cow manure/cowpat | ee come home from Jones's field wi'is feet covered in cow-clap |
| crabbit | bad-tempered/irritable | a doan injoy is company coz ee's got very crabbit this lass while |
| crack (n) | blow | if ee duzn b'have hit im a crack on the ear |
| craic/crack (n) | fun/company/chat | are ye goin ta the dance on Saterdy? - it shudd be grate craic |
| creep (v) | crawl - specifically for the pre-walking stage of a baby's development | Michael started ta creep whin ee wuz seven months and wuz walkin by is forst birthdy |
| crig | stub (v) | a cyan hardly walk coz a crigged ma toe on the cribbin |
| cribbin (corruption of 'kerbing'?) | kerb/curb on pavement (sidewalk) | ee was stannin on the cribbin waitin for the bus |
| has my heart crucified | causes me immense heartache/pain | his drinkin has me/my heart crucified |
| culchie | country bumpkin (backwoodsman) | ee's a rail culchie up from the Mournes |
| curse rings round | swear really excessively | ee wuz cursin rings round im in front of the childer |
| cut (n)(derogatory) | appearance | ye shudiv seen the cut of im in that oul jacket |
| cut (n) | slice | a'll just have a cut a bread an a bit a cheese LISTEN |
| all cut | hurt/offended | a was all cut when ee made that remark |
| half cut | pretty drunk | a got half cut at the hooley |
| three-quarters cut | even more drunk(!) | ee wuz three quarters cut whin ee got home from the darts match |
| completely cut | falling-over drunk! | ee wuz that completely cut ee didn know where ee wuz |
| cute | devious/sly | ee was cute anough ta stay outa trouble |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| da | father | m'da's awful fond of a dander |
| dander (n) | leisurely walk | a go for a wee dander Sunday mornins |
| dander (v) | walk (slowly) | a'll dander up te the pub later |
| dashin | raining heavily | a cuddn go for a walk, for it was dashin |
| dawkin | dock (weed) - useful for rubbing on nettle-stings | (child's rhyme) - 'dawkin, dawkin, in an out/Take the sting a the nettle out' |
| deadhouse | mortuary | thiv taken is corp ta the deadhouse |
| delf (pref) | all kinds of crockery (originally from 'Delft' ware, Holland, presumably) | putt all the delf in the kitchin press whin ye've washed it |
| desperit | unbelievable | ah've heard a losin yer temper, but thon's desperate! |
| desperit man! | used to express incredulity at someone's generosity | yer a desperit man! (after he has 'forced' yet another pint of Guinness upon you!) |
| diddy | breast | luk at that one wi the big diddies (lots of MCPs about!) |
| dinner (pref) | lunch | a had ma dinner at one aclock |
| dinge | dent | ee putt a big dinge in ma kettle whin ee drapped (dropped) it |
| dint (pref) | dent | there's a big dint in the driver's door |
| dishcloth | drying-up cloth (tea-towel) | run the dishcloth over them plates quick |
| dishreg (pref) | washing-up cloth | the dishreg's sittin in the jartub |
| disturber | a 'stirrer'/someone who causes arguments for the sheer hell of it | there's always a row whin he's aroun, for ee's a distorber |
| (won't) do | (won't) live long | ee had that big operation an a doubt ee won't do |
| do him rightly | good enough for him (dismissive) | just givvim the oul jacket wi the hole innit - it'll do im rightly |
| does be (n) | is usually | ee does be at work by nine aclock |
| oul doll | mother | my oul doll's fifty nix week |
| don't bother yer arse (vulg) | I don't want you to do that/forget it! | if yer gonna moan about it, don't bother yer arse |
| don't let yer bone go wi the dog | don't let them browbeat you! | n' matter how much they try to push y'aroun, doan let yer bone go wi the dog! (Thanks, ma - Mary Grace Dodds) |
| doodle (n) | penis (child's expression) | mammy! Michael tukk is doodle out in the playgroun! |
| dooley-lookin(g) | dressed in old-fashioned clothes/dressed very unfashionably | a saw Jemmy McCann lass night an ee was real dooley-luckin (BD) |
| big door | front door (rhymes with 'moor') | a don't leave the big door open the way a used ta |
| doorstep | very thick slice of bread | she used rail doorsteps ta make them sannwiches |
| doot (n) | sound (of) the horn on a car | give us a doot whin y'arrive an a'll come straight out (verb: doot yer horn whin y'arrive...) |
| down the stairs | downstairs | ee's down the stairs in the front room |
| down the town | in the town centre | ee's away down the town ta meet Gerry |
| draw (v) | infusion of tea leaves in boiling water | the tay's not strong enuff - let it draw a bit more |
| drone (n) | someone who is continually nagging | ee's such an oul drone ah doan know why she stays withim |
| drooth | thirst | give us a drink - a've a shockin drooth on me |
| drunken scut | very heavy drinker | Paul has torned inta rail drunken scut this lass while |
| ducky | stone | he chucked a big ducky at me and hit me on the leg |
| dummy tit | baby's plastic teat | she woan gie er ba a dummy (tit) |
| dunder | resounding noise - e.g. banging on a door/thunder | there wuz a big dunder on my door last night - it wuz them kids nix door (SRS) |
| dunkill | manure heap | redd out thon byre an throw it all on the dunkill |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| face lack a Lurgan spade | sour-looking | ee hadda face lack a Loargin spade whin ee lost the bet |
| face that would box a goat | very angry expression | ee cum home from woark wi a face that wudd box a goat |
| failed | ill-looking/lost lots of weight | ee should see the doctor - he looks all failed |
| failed away ta scrapins | ill-looking with a massive weight loss | Gerald's luckin railly bad - ee's failed away ta scrapins ('scrap' pronounced 'scrape') |
| fare ye well Killeavy | kiss it goodbye! (Killeavy's a local village) | a lent im twenny poun an now he's gone till Inglann - so it's fare ye well Killeavy ta that |
| farl | (triangular) small loaf of sody bread | a've just baked some sody farls on the griddle |
| (bad) feed | excessive amount (alcohol) | a hadda (bad) feed a drink lass night |
| feg | cigarette | have ye got a feg on ye? |
| oul fella | father | our oul fella's allus moaning at me about gettin a job |
| fight with his own shadow | always starting arguments/would argue with anyone for the least excuse | a doan lack goin out wi him for ee'd fight wi is own shadda |
| fireboard | mantlepiece | she's got some lovely ornaments onner fireboard |
| fish supper (pref) | fish and chips (regardless of the time bought) | a hadda fish supper in The Florentine theday |
| didn take a fizz out of him | didn't cause him any problem/didn't disconcert him in the least/didn't harm his health | Joe hadda do a double shift at woark but it didn take a fizz outa'im |
| (face) flannel (pref) | face cloth | gie the chile's face a rub wi the flannel |
| flit (pref) | move house | we're flittin ta Talbot Street nix week |
| Saturday flit's / a short shift | superstitious saying - whatever you do, don't move house on a Saturday - some disaster will follow! | This superstition is also applied by many people to such things as going into hospital for treatment, or coming out after you're cured! |
| fly (adj) | crafty | ee's too much of a fly boy for my likin |
| flyin(g) | doing really well/achieving success | Pat's business went through a real bad patch lass year - but ee's flyin now (BD) |
| footer (about) (v) | do unskilfully/mess around with to no real purpose | thon engine was woarkin perfect till you started ta footer (about) w'it |
| footerer | one who footers | ee thinks ee's a grate mechanic but ee's only an oul footerer |
| footery | fiddly/complicated | try ta putt this wee screw in for me - it's awful footery |
| for | because | doan lettim see where ye puttit for ee can't be trusted |
| for ta | to (in order to) | a'm goin down ta Dublin for ta see the match |
| for a pump (vulg) | to urinate | a wuz stuck for a toilet so a went b'hine the bush for a pump |
| for the week | for the whole of a particular week | a'm goin till Portrush for the week on the forst of August |
| for why? | why? | for why didya not open the door? |
| forbye | as well/in addition to | a lost ma wallet an ma watch forbye |
| fornent/fornenst | opposite/facing | he was stannin fornenst the bank when it happened |
| foundered | frozen/freezing | the weather wuz that bad a wuz foundered waitin for ye |
| the Free State/The State | Republic of Ireland | ee made a fortune smugglin pigs inta the Free State/the State |
| friends of | related to (not closely) | ee only got the job coz is family is frenns a the manager |
| futtpad | pavement/sidewalk | a was on the futtpad fornenst is big door |
| full (rhymes with 'dull') | drunk (full of alcohol!) | a'm sicka you comin home full ivry nighta the week! |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| ganzie | sweater/pullover/jersey (probably a corruption of 'Guernsey') | ee was wearin brown corderoy trousers an a blue ganzie |
| gas | great/enjoyable | a didn think ah'd enjoy the party but it was gas! |
| gern | pull a face | ye cyant have it, so ye needn be gernin at me |
| gerry | smallest pig in a litter (runt) | a doan think that gerry'll do |
| gettin(g) | being attended to (in bar/shop) | e.g. a barman will ask a customer 'are ya gettin?' - effectively, 'are you being served?' |
| girl (pref) | any female up to age 100! | a knew thon girl well thirty years ago |
| give my head peace! | stop nagging/stop annoying me | for God's sake shut up an gie ma head peace! |
| give off to | shout at/criticise loudly (remains 'give' in past tense) | ye needn give off ta me, cos I didn do it! |
| glass (n) | half pint (in a pub) | jist gimme a glass a stout |
| go linkin(g) along | walk arm-in-arm | ye see them goin linkin along Sandys Street ivvry evenin (past tense: a used ta see her lunk on ta him in Sandys Street) |
| goin | available/ready | is there any grub goin? |
| good and .... | very.... / .... enough | ye'll hav ta use a rope that's good an strong |
| good-livin man | very religious man (particulary non-conformist Protestant) | ee niver drinks nor gambles - ee's a good-livin man |
| good man yer da! | well done! (as in - you must have had a good father to be so good yourself) | ye did it in half the time it tukk me - so good man yer da! (BD) |
| goosegabs | gooseberries | a wuz pickin goosegabs out at Savilbeg |
| gorb (n) | glutton | if you wuzn't such a greedy gorb yudd luck a lot better |
| got | became | ee got very crabbit whin ee got oulder |
| gowl | hoarse shout | whin ee cut hisself ee let a grate gowl outiv im |
| within a houn(d)'s gowl | as close as makes no difference | a cuddn line it up dead straight - but it's within a houn's gowl of it (BD) |
| graip (pref) | garden fork | take a graip an lif(t) them spuds for me |
| grand | OK/fine/perfect | if ye kin get here by two aclock themarra that'll be grann |
| grand | (weather) fine/lovely | it's a grann day theday, isn it? |
| gratin(g) | drain cover in street gutter | a dropped a shillin an it fell down the gratin |
| gravy ring | doughnut | a hadda cuppa coffee an two gravy rings durin the morning |
| greechy | wood ash | willya shovel the greechy outa the grate an puttit in the bin for me? |
| grewhoun | greyhound | yer man Wylie as juss got isself a grewhoun |
| gripper | bailiff sent by court to seize goods for unpaid fines etc | the grippers came a-Tuesday an tukk all is forniture |
| gulder (n) | shout | ye shudv hear the gulder ee let out a him whin ee cut is finger |
| gunk | shock | ee got a quair gunk whin ee foun out that the firm was closin |
| gutties | plimsolls/canvas shoes | a kin run faster wearin gutties |
| gyam | idiot | ye leff the door open an the dog's got out, ye stupid gyam (SRS) |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| had a bad do of it | been very ill/had a difficult or painful experience | Ross has had a bad do ofit since is accident |
| hake (v) | scrump (steal apples from an orchard) | oul Jones caught us hakin is orcherd lass night |
| half'un | single measure of whiskey (one third of a gill) | a'll have a pinta stout an a haffun a Black Bush |
| hand's turn | any kind of work (used in a negative context) | thon daughter of ours niver does a hand's toarn about the house (i.e. never helps out) |
| has me ate me out of house and home | over-eats to a ruinous degree/is very expensive to keep | thon boy has no job an ee has me ait outa house an home |
| hard hat | bowler hat/Derby | ee lukked a right fool in is hard hat at the Parade |
| soft hat | felt hat/trilby | ee's the one wearin the burberry an the soft hat |
| (I) have you | (I) understand you | a didn unnerstan what ye ment yistery but a have ye now |
| have ye the dinner made? | have you cooked dinner? | example of a common construction. Another is 'have ye the tay ready?' |
| head-the-ball | idiot/madman | doan lissen t'a word ee says - ee's a rail headtheball |
| header/headbanger | idiot/madman | see above |
| hear(d) tell | hear(d) of | a've niver heard tell a such a place |
| heel | end | cut me the heel a the loaf, willya? |
| at the heel(s) a the hunt | in the long run/in the end | he'll regret buyin that at the heel(s) a the hunt |
| hell slap it up'im! | it serves him right! | if ee's lost allis money, hell slap it uppim! |
| hernn's aloy! (probably 'herrings alive!) | shout of fish seller who came round streets selling fresh fish from a horse and cart | hernns aloy! (that's it!) |
| herrnchokers | nickname ('herring chokers!') for people of Omeath - six miles away in Co.Louth | w'll take the ferry from the Point an have a drink a-Sunday wi the herrnchokers |
| herrngutters | nickname ('herring gutters!') for people of Kilkeel - seventeen miles away on the Co.Down coast | them herrngutters all talk lack Scotchmen - ye cyant unnerstan a word one of'm sez! |
| hink | think | a hink the weather'll be better at the weekenn |
| his hole was open (vulg) | indicates uncharacteristic generosity | ee giv ya half a crown? - his hole wuz open! (SRS) |
| hoke (v) | look for | a foun the pixture after hokin about in th'attic for an hour |
| hoke (v) | dig out | go an hoke us out a few spuds for the dinner |
| hoke (v) | pick (vulg:) that unpleasant nasal exploration ... | a wudn buy ennythin at his shop - ee's allus hokin is nose |
| (a) holy terror | chaos/chaotic | the traffic wus a holy terror at Shugger (Sugar) Islan(d) Bridge lass night |
| hoojah | unnamed implement (equiv. 'thingumajig') | pass me that hoojah, willya? (SRS) |
| hook | sickle | ye wanna get in amongst them nettles wi a hook |
| hooley | a party (drink and music) | are ye goin te the hooley at Brendan's thenight? |
| hoor | whore (used as general perjorative for both genders) | thon hoor cyant be trusted an inch |
| hoor's melt (VERY vulg) | c*** (this is a sensitive site!) | a hate is guts - ee's a complete hoor's melt |
| hop up | dress warmly (esp. with overcoat) | it's freezin outside so ye'd better keep youself well hopped up |
| hop up | tuck in (bed) | hop the childer up afore they go asleep |
| houl(t) (n) | hold/grip | a want you te take a houl(t) a the other enn of it |
| houl on | wait | if ye houl on a minute a'll come wi' ye |
| houl yer hoult | now hold on a minute! | houl yer hoult! - a didn' say any such thing! |
| houl yer whisht! | be quiet!/shut up! | houl yer whisht an gimme a chance t'explain! |
| (how's) about ye? | how are you?/how are things? | hi boy! how's about ye? |
| (how's) about yerself? | reply to above | not so bad - how's about yerself? |
| how's she cuttin? | how are you?/how are things? | hi boy! how's she cuttin? |
| hunger's mother | used to describe someone who is unbelievably tight-fisted | dont ask him for a lenda enny money - ee's hunger's mother! (BD) |
| hustle/hussle (n) | chesty 'whistle' | the ba has a wee hussle in is breathin but the doctor sez it'll clear up |