Irish slang holds a special place in everyone’s heart, and there will be words if one county tries to stake a claim on another’s special saying.
It should come as no surprise that there’s plenty of ways of asking someone to go for a drink, and insults galore.
We’ve probed our countryside friends across the nation for their regional faves, but we’re sure there’s some we’ve missed – let us know!
Antrim – Rulya
Means: Mad/crazy.
“Ya rulya feen” – we don’t know how anyone could get that.
Armagh – Take her handy
Means: Take care.
So… Kinda like take it easy then?
Carlow – Wolfing
Means: Absolutely staaaarving.
AKA “wolfing for a pack of tayto” – sure aren’t we all, Carlow.
Cavan – He’s Not Worth The Full Of Your Arse Of Boiled Snow
Means: A real lazybones.
Eh… We aren’t too sure if this one makes sense, but ok.
Clare – Sucky calf
Means: Someone who overuses his/her mouth.
“He downed his drink like a sucky calf” – we might start using this.
Cork – Langer
Means: An annoying person.
“Go away, you langer”.
Derry – Nags
Means: Underwear.
Some saucy folk might say “get your nags off”.
Donegal – Wile
Means: Strong/lots of something/really.
“It’s wile hard”. Interesting…
Down – Boul
Means: To leave somewhere realllly fast.
“She bouled out of work”. Rhymes with ‘scowl’ if you’re wondering.
Dublin – Dzope
Means: A fool.
Most used in the sentence “cmere you ya bleeeeedin dzope” <3
Fermanagh – Hallion
Means: A cheeky young’un.
“Get away with that ya hallion!”. This should catch on everywhere.
Galway – Walloped
Means: Pissed drunk.
“I’m going to get feckin walloped tonight” – oh we bet you will.
Kerry – Yerra
Means: You don’t really care about something.
“Yerra I didn’t want a second date anyway”. Suuuuuuure.
Kildare – Deece
Means: Decent
“This bar is deeeeeece”. Use at your own peril.
Kilkenny – Tear
Means: To fart
“Jesus did you do just do a snchneaky tear?” Pronounced like ‘tare’.
Laois – Chuds
Means: Eh, breasts
“A fine pair of chuds” – how is this a thing?
Leitrim – Lushing/Panelled
Means: Going drinking/drunk
“We’re gonna go lushing tonight and get absolutely panelled”. Might be a bit much to use both in one sentence though..
Limerick – Tackies
Means: Runners.
“Daycent pair of tackies on ya”. Nike airmax for the win.
Longford – Sledged
Means: To be given out to.
As in your mates may say, “you were sledged by your Ma just there”.
Louth – Hey
Means: Literally nothing but is added to every sentence.
“Well there, hey”. “What’s the craic, hey”. “Are we going out tonight hey”.
Mayo – Buinneach
Means: Talking pure and utter shite.
“He’s always talking pure buinneach that fella”.
Meath – Gersha
Means: A young girl.
“Ah she’s a grand gersha”. From the Irish, girseach, so least some people are using their Junior Cert.
Monaghan – Quare
Means: Very.
“That’s a quare cold day today”. Often used in Carlow and Wexford: let the battles begin.
Offaly – Emptyhead
Means: Someone of em, lesser intelligence.
“You’re a complete feckin emptyhead”. Sounds oddly cute for some reason?
Roscommon – Behave welll
Means: Sarcastic way to say you’ve done well.
“Didn’t ya behave well to lose your wallet?”
Sligo – Grand, So
Means: Ok then.
As in, “I’m away to work” – “Grand, so”.
Tipperary – Come onto fuck
Means: Hurry up.
Most used in “would ya come onto fuck, we’re going knockin'”. Knockin’ = drinking. The more you know n’ all that.
Tyrone – Is that you?
Means: Are you finished?
Usually said when you’re mid curry-chip and your mate wants the rest.
Waterford – Slack
Means: Harsh, unfair
Perfect for when your mammy wouldn’t let you do something – “Ah that’s so slack”.
Westmeath – The gawks
Means: Heavy vomiting, usually after a hard night out.
“You’ll have a terrible case of the gawks after the staff party”.
Wexford – Slight?
Means: Do you have a lighter?
Because who has time for extra syllables in Wexford ammirite.
Wicklow – Choppin’
Means: The extreme tiredness you feel when hungover
“Lads I’m choppin’ after the weekend”.
Are you sad that your favourite slang word from your home county didn’t make the list? Let us know what other hilarious slang words are out there!
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