Gaelic Slang &
Miscellaneous Script References
Celidh time- popular irish gatherings featuring Gaelic music. McDonagh actually uses the Scottish Gaelic spelling of the word in the script.
Pg. 5
Mag: "Only for Ceelidh time and for whatyoucall."
Pg. 5
Mag: "Only for Ceelidh time and for whatyoucall."
Skitter
diarrhea
Ray: "Well, I'm not wading through the skitter just to tell her. I've done enough wading. Coming up that oul hill." (p.12)
diarrhea
Ray: "Well, I'm not wading through the skitter just to tell her. I've done enough wading. Coming up that oul hill." (p.12)
Tinker
(according to urban dictionary) Commonly used to define members of the Irish travelling community. The previous definition cites the use of 'tinker' in this context as ignorant. Maybe he/she is a tinker (in the metalwork sense of the word) and does not like his traditional profession to be used in such a manner. I would like to add that Irish travellers traditionally were very improvising metal workers and sold pots made of scrap metal to make a living (as opposed to topping trees badly and laying poor quality tarmacam like they do now).This is the long-standing origin of the association of Irish travellers with the word 'tinker'. They are tinkers. Hence the phrase, ' Any scrap copper there boss'. ( Gypsy )
Maureen: " You suppose right enough. Lying the head off you, like the babby of a tinker." (p.25)
(according to urban dictionary) Commonly used to define members of the Irish travelling community. The previous definition cites the use of 'tinker' in this context as ignorant. Maybe he/she is a tinker (in the metalwork sense of the word) and does not like his traditional profession to be used in such a manner. I would like to add that Irish travellers traditionally were very improvising metal workers and sold pots made of scrap metal to make a living (as opposed to topping trees badly and laying poor quality tarmacam like they do now).This is the long-standing origin of the association of Irish travellers with the word 'tinker'. They are tinkers. Hence the phrase, ' Any scrap copper there boss'. ( Gypsy )
Maureen: " You suppose right enough. Lying the head off you, like the babby of a tinker." (p.25)
Doolally
Pronunciation: [DU-lah-lee]
Function: adjective
Crazy or at least very eccentric or like in our case completely deranged!Usage: "The Dingle duo are seriously concerned that Jasmine's about to go doolally"
Pato: " What harm a breakdown, sure? Lots of people do have breakdowns."
Maureen: " A lot of doolally people, aye." (p.43)
Pronunciation: [DU-lah-lee]
Function: adjective
Crazy or at least very eccentric or like in our case completely deranged!Usage: "The Dingle duo are seriously concerned that Jasmine's about to go doolally"
Pato: " What harm a breakdown, sure? Lots of people do have breakdowns."
Maureen: " A lot of doolally people, aye." (p.43)
Spike Milligan
According to Wiki, Spike Milligan (1918-2002) was “an Irish comedian, writer, musician, poet and playwright.” The article also says that he suffered from bipolar disorder, and had “at least ten major mental breakdowns” during his lifetime.
Pato: " Poor Spike Milligan, isn't he forever having breakdowns?" (p.43)
According to Wiki, Spike Milligan (1918-2002) was “an Irish comedian, writer, musician, poet and playwright.” The article also says that he suffered from bipolar disorder, and had “at least ten major mental breakdowns” during his lifetime.
Pato: " Poor Spike Milligan, isn't he forever having breakdowns?" (p.43)
Gangerman
The foreman of a gang of navvies which are unskilled construction workers.
Pato: " There is no one to speak to. The gangerman does pop his head in sometime...." (p.48)
The foreman of a gang of navvies which are unskilled construction workers.
Pato: " There is no one to speak to. The gangerman does pop his head in sometime...." (p.48)
Swingball
According to Wiki, a game somewhat like tetherball, but played using rackets and a tethered tennis ball. The full description: “An alternate version of the game sold as Swingball uses a smaller, softer ball that the players strike with racquets. It can be described as ‘tether tennis,’ and is more popular in the United Kingdom. Swingball has a shorter pole, is portable and the ball flies around the pole at a constant distance from the pole on a helical screw; the game ends when the ball reaches the top or bottom of the screw. Generally the ball used for these games is a tennis ball, and the racquets can come from ping-pong or games with similar paddles.”
Ray: " Loopy that woman is if you ask me. Didn't she keep the tennis ball that came off of me and Mairton Hanlon's swingball set and landed in yere fields and wouldn't give it back no matter how much we begged..." (p.53)
According to Wiki, a game somewhat like tetherball, but played using rackets and a tethered tennis ball. The full description: “An alternate version of the game sold as Swingball uses a smaller, softer ball that the players strike with racquets. It can be described as ‘tether tennis,’ and is more popular in the United Kingdom. Swingball has a shorter pole, is portable and the ball flies around the pole at a constant distance from the pole on a helical screw; the game ends when the ball reaches the top or bottom of the screw. Generally the ball used for these games is a tennis ball, and the racquets can come from ping-pong or games with similar paddles.”
Ray: " Loopy that woman is if you ask me. Didn't she keep the tennis ball that came off of me and Mairton Hanlon's swingball set and landed in yere fields and wouldn't give it back no matter how much we begged..." (p.53)
Turf
Peat is an organic fuel formed by the accumulation and partial decomposition of vegetable matter in areas where the climate is wet and mild, and the drainage is poor. Peat deposition is the first step in the formation of coal. If the climate was drier the peat would decompose further. As it is, the moisture in the ground does not allow the vegetable matter to completely decompose. Peatland or bogland covers about 15% of Ireland. There are large expanses of "blanket" bog in County Mayo.Peat in its natural state is 90 to 95 per cent water. In the summer time peat or "turf" is cut into blocks with a spade and set in stacks to dry. When dry, the blocks weigh from three quarters of a pound to two pounds each. Dried peat burns easily with a smoky flame and a very distinct (and pleasant) odor.
Peat was the source of heating and cooking in Ireland for centuries. It is still used in some areas of Ireland for heating.
Mag: (Pause) " Or another bit of turf on the fire put. I'm cold." (p.54)
Peat is an organic fuel formed by the accumulation and partial decomposition of vegetable matter in areas where the climate is wet and mild, and the drainage is poor. Peat deposition is the first step in the formation of coal. If the climate was drier the peat would decompose further. As it is, the moisture in the ground does not allow the vegetable matter to completely decompose. Peatland or bogland covers about 15% of Ireland. There are large expanses of "blanket" bog in County Mayo.Peat in its natural state is 90 to 95 per cent water. In the summer time peat or "turf" is cut into blocks with a spade and set in stacks to dry. When dry, the blocks weigh from three quarters of a pound to two pounds each. Dried peat burns easily with a smoky flame and a very distinct (and pleasant) odor.
Peat was the source of heating and cooking in Ireland for centuries. It is still used in some areas of Ireland for heating.
Mag: (Pause) " Or another bit of turf on the fire put. I'm cold." (p.54)
Birmingham Six
According to Wiki, six men (Hugh Callaghan, Patrick Joseph Hill, Gerard Hunter, Richard McIlkenny, William Power and John Walker) who were sentenced to life imprisonment for the 1974 bombing of two British pubs (called the “Birmingham pub bombings”). The case was (and is still, sounds like) surrounded by controversy, with the men being beaten and abused throughout the proceedings and many charges of fabrication of evidence being leveled. In 1991, 16 years after the 1975 ruling, the men’s convictions were overturned.
Ray: " Oh aye. Isn't that how the Birmingham Six went down?" (p.76)
According to Wiki, six men (Hugh Callaghan, Patrick Joseph Hill, Gerard Hunter, Richard McIlkenny, William Power and John Walker) who were sentenced to life imprisonment for the 1974 bombing of two British pubs (called the “Birmingham pub bombings”). The case was (and is still, sounds like) surrounded by controversy, with the men being beaten and abused throughout the proceedings and many charges of fabrication of evidence being leveled. In 1991, 16 years after the 1975 ruling, the men’s convictions were overturned.
Ray: " Oh aye. Isn't that how the Birmingham Six went down?" (p.76)
The Chieftains
A traditional Irish band formed in Dublin in November 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Sean Potts and Michael Tubridy. The band had their first rehearsals at Moloney's house, with Tubridy, Martin Fay and David Fallon. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous with traditional Irish music and they are regarded as having helped popularise Irish music across the world.
Stage Directions: Ray slams the door behind him as he exits. Pause. Maureen starts rocking slightly in the chair, listening to the song by The Chieftains on the radio. The announcer's quiet soothing voice is then heard. (p.84)
A traditional Irish band formed in Dublin in November 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Sean Potts and Michael Tubridy. The band had their first rehearsals at Moloney's house, with Tubridy, Martin Fay and David Fallon. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous with traditional Irish music and they are regarded as having helped popularise Irish music across the world.
Stage Directions: Ray slams the door behind him as he exits. Pause. Maureen starts rocking slightly in the chair, listening to the song by The Chieftains on the radio. The announcer's quiet soothing voice is then heard. (p.84)
Gaelic Slang
A great general resource for additional Gaelic definitions can be found here:
Gaelic Vocabulary
A great general resource for additional Gaelic definitions can be found here:
Gaelic Vocabulary