An Irish Country Doctor (41 page)

Lambeg drum:
Massive drum carried on shoulder straps by an Orangeman and beaten with two sticks, sometimes until the drummer's wrists bleed.

length and breadth of it:
All the details.

let the hare sit:
Leave the thing alone.

like the sidewall of a house:
Huge, especially when applied to someone's physical build.

liltie:
A madman. An Irish whirling dervish.

load of cobblers':
In Cockney rhyming slang, "cobblers' awls" means "balls." Used to signify rubbish.

lough:
Pronounced "logh," almost as if clearing the throat. A sea inlet or very large inland lake.

lummox:
Stupid creature.

main:
Very.

make a mint:
Make a great deal of money.

moping:
Indulging in self-pity.

muggy:
Hot and humid.

mullet, stunned:
To look as stupid or surprised as a mullet, an ugly saltwater fish.

my shout:
I'm buying the drinks.

near took the rickets:
Had a great shock.

no dozer:
Clever.

no goat's toe, he think's he's:
Has an overinflated sense of his own importance.

no spring chicken:
Getting on in years.

not as green as you're cabbage looking:
More clever than you appear to be.

not at myself:
Feeling unwell.

nutcrackers:
Neurosurgeons (medical slang).

nutty slack:
Fine, slow-burning coal.

Orange Order:
Fraternal order of Protestants committed to loyalty to the British crown.

ould goat:
Old man, often used affectionately.

out of kilter:
Out of alignment.

oxter:
Armpit.

oxter-cog:
To carry by supporting under the armpits.

pacamac:
Cheap, transparent, plastic raincoat carried in a small bag.

Paddy hat:
Soft-crowned tweed hat.

Paddy's market:
A large, disorganised crowd.

peat (turf):
Fuel derived from compressed plant matter.

penny bap:
A small bun usually coated in flour.

piss artist:
Alcoholic.

poke:
Have sex with; a small parcel.

pop one's clogs:
Die.

poulticed:
Pregnant (usually out of wedlock).

powerful:
Very.

quare:
Ulster pronunciation of queer. Very; strange.

raring to go:
Eager and fully prepared.

recimetation:
Malapropism for recitation.

rug rats:
Children.

run-race:
Quick trip to, usually on foot.

sheugh:
Bog.

shirty:
Short tempered.

shit:
The action of defaecation.

shite:
Faeces.

skiver:
Corruption of scurvy. Pejorative. Ne'er-do-well.

skivvy:
From scurvy. Housemaid.

snotters:
Runny nose.

soft hand under a duck:
Gentle or very good at.

sore tried by:
Very worried by or very irritated by.

spavin:
A disease of horses resulting in a sway-back.

spavined:
Suffering from spavin.

stays:
Whalebone corset.

stocious:
Drunk.

stone:
Measure of weight equal to fourteen pounds.

stoon:
Sudden shooting pain.

stout:
A dark beer, usually Guinness.

strong weakness:
Hangover.

take a gander:
Look at.

taste, wee:
Amount. Small amount, not necessarily edible.

ta-ta-ta-ra:
Dublin slang for party.

thick:
Stupid.

thon:
That.

thrapple:
Throat.

throw off:
Vomit.

toty, wee:
Small, very small.

turf accountant:
Bookmaker.

up the spout; up the pipe:
Pregnant.

wean:
Pronounced "wane." Child.

wee:
Small, but in Ulster can be used to modify almost anything without reference to size. A barmaid, an old friend, greeted me by saying, "Come on in, Pat. Have a wee seat and I'll get you a wee menu, and would you like a wee drink while you're waiting?"

wet, wee:
Alcoholic drink.

wetting the baby's head:
Drinking to celebrate a birth.

whaling away at:
Beating.

wheeker:
Very good.

wheest:
Be quiet.

wheezle:
Wheeze in the chest.

whippet:
Small fast-racing dog like a mini-greyhound.

willy:
Penis.

your head's cut (a marley):
You are being very stupid, and your head is as small and as dense as a child's marble.

your man:
Someone who is not present but who is known to those who are.

you're on:
Agree to a suggestion, or indicate acceptance of a wager.

youse:
Ulster plural of you.