One of the expressions that my friends recently explained to me, as someone who’s never been to Ireland, was “yer man”. “You’ll often hear this used when someone’s describing someone that they don’t like, however it can also be used when you don’t know someone’s name,” Keith explained. I was also told that one way to translate this to American English would be by saying “that guy” instead, if you’re referring to someone you don’t actually know.
Another Irish term I was recently taught is “culchie”. This phrase is used to describe someone who lives in a remote part of the island, but for people from Dublin, it might be used for anyone from outside of Dublin. “For example, ‘The pub last night was wedged with culchies’,” Keith writes. If you’re looking to insult someone in Ireland, there are also a few Irish-specific words that you might want to know how to use. Some of the tame insults Keith notes are goon, gobshite, eejit (similar to idiot), pox (someone who is annoying), and dope (someone who is stupid). My friends from Ireland also educated me on the phrase “scarlet fer yer ma” or “scarlet fer yer ma fer havin’ ye”. Essentially, this translates to “how embarrassing for you”, or you did something so shameful your mother should be embarrassed (or blushing) just for having you. That one would hurt.
Are these Meanwhile in Ireland posts making you feel at home, or are you thinking you’d be completely out of place in the Emerald Isle? Either way, you can appreciate the Irish humor and all of the wonderful things (and people) Ireland has given the world. Keep upvoting your favorite posts, and then let us know in the comments what you love most about this potato-filled nation. Then if you’d like to check out yet another Bored Panda article that perfectly encapsulates the Irish experience, you can find that right here!
