Dublin Slang

Some of the spelling used in these sayings are used to reflect the typical accent of most Dubliners. Some of the sayings may not be in use the 21^st Century, others may have changed to suit the climate or characters of today. Many of the sayings on this page were obtained from the appendix of Paddy Crosbie's book "Your Dinner's Poured Out". The remainder were from memory and help from friends on the WWW. Many people have sent be in "Dublin Sayings" that may not be truly Dublinesque (is there such a word?) however I have published them anyway. Anyhow I've been out of the place for over 30 years, so who am I to say whether a saying is genuine or not. Many of the sayings have an 80's and 90's origin. Please email any corrections. So there you are, enjoy, Henry Kirwan.

NOTE, There may be some obscene language on this page, so you may want to bail out before its too late.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
The Sayings	An explanation, all care taken but no responsibility accepted
A
(Adam) Since Adam was in the fusiliers	For a very long time
(Air) "Come up for air."	Listen to what is being said.
(Alrigh) "Alrigh bud "	Hello
(Ally Daly) "It was the rale (real) Ally Daly"	The genuine article
(Apples) " Sure it was like throwin' apples into an orchard"	Doing something stupid.
(Article) "you're a .miserable article"	Miserable person
(Arse) "He doesn't know his arse from his elbow" :	Clueless, idiot amadahan
(Arse) I could eat a child's arse through the rungs of a cot .	(I'm starving)
(Arse) He has a face like the Earl of Hell's arse	ugly
(Arse) They're like arse-holes, sure everybody has them	A plentiful supply
(Arse) I wouldn't bother me arse about that	something not worth considering
(Arse) I will in me arse:	I won't do it
(Arse) As ignorant as a bag of arses	If you have ever met a bag of arses you will appreciate this saying
(Arse) You have a head on you like a well slapped arse.	Ugly
(Arse) I knew him when he hadn't an arse to his trousers.	When he was poor
(Arse) He arsed his way through the crowd.	Pushed through the crowd
(Arse) She's a face on her as long as a pig's arse	Meaning glum, morose looking
(Arse) As sure as there's a hole in your arse -	Confirming the truth behind your story.
(Arse) Shut your arse and give your mouth a chance -	Stop talking rubbish
(Arse) It's far from your arse you won't sit on it.	Usually said to young children when when they complain about a minor cut or bruise.
(Arse) "There's always an arse or an elbow the matter with you"	Mother to child ....... your always complaining of some illness or other
(Arse) She'd make you believe that your arsehole was an egg cup	Some one who could make you believe anything
(Arse) Ask me arse	Don't bother me
(Arse) "I'd eat a farmers arse through a hedge "	I'm hungry
(Arse) "She/He had an arse on her like a brewers mare !!	A big arse
(Arse) "That bockedy-arsed oul' bitch! She'd talk the teeth off a saw.	Bockedy means bent, crocked etc
(Arthuritis) "He suffered badly with arthuritis"	Arthritis, a true Dubliners pronunciation of Arthritis
(Athlone) "Like a wet night in Athlone"	A boring occasion

B (top)
(Back) "To there and back to see how far it is"	I'd ask my gran where she's going and she'd say "
(Back) "Don't be there 'till you're back -	Telling someone to hurry up
(Ball) "A ball a drum a kick in the bum and a chase around the table"	A little ditty a mum might say to he children.
(Bike) "Where would yeh be goin' an' no bell on your bike. (You could add to that "and your knickers wringin")	Used in conversation like: I ask you
(Banjaxed) "You've banjaxed that wheel"	It's broken
(Bang on/Dead sound ) "He's dead sound"	Enjoyable person
(Barney Brack (Barm Brack) "Cake eaten at halloween"	Currant Cake
(Bed) "If work was a bed she'd sleep on the floor"	A lazy person
(Belly/Stomach) "Me stomach/belly thought me throat was cut"	Hungry
(Bite) "If it had a mouth it's bite you"	When you say that something isn't to be found and it's pointed out right in front of you
(Bird) "A Bird never flew on one wing"	One drink will not be enough
(Black) "He bet (beat) him as black as a mourning coach. "	Someone who has had a thumping
(Black) "The black Stuff"	Usually Guinness, could be Murphy's or Beamish I guess
(Blemmed) "He blemmed the ball"	He gave it a good kick
(Bog) "Going to the bog"	To the toilet
(Bogger') "He's a bogger from way back"	Term used to describe anyone from out side Dublin
(Bollix) Ask me Bollix	Q. Give us a lift into town (Reply) "Ask me Bollix" Q. Get up there, it's your round (Reply) "Ask me Bollix"
(Bollix) S/he's a neck like a jockeys bollix -	Cheeky / thick skinned person
(Bleedin) "Ya bleedin' mule	Which means "u fool
(Blempt) "It's your own blempt"	It's you own fault
(Business) "Doing your business"	Having a shit (see Shit)
(Bowsie) "You little bowsie"	Young trouble maker
(Brasser ) "Did ya see the brassers hanging around Stb Stephens Green?	Prostitute
(Break) "If you break your leg, don't come running to me "	Mother to a rowdy child
(Bred) "What's bred in the marrow comes out in the bone:	If parents are bad people then their children will turn out to be bad people
(Bun) She has a bun in the oven	She's pregnant
(Bucketing) "Its bucketing down"	Raining heavily
(Black) "This place is black"	It's crowded
(Bull shit) "If bull-shit was music, that fella'd be a brass band.	A good story teller, usually about oneself
(Bus) "Are you lookin at me or waitin on a bus"	When this was said to you, it meant turning away or a fight was on

C (top)
(Call) "You have no call to that "	no claim or right
(Canary) "She nearly had a canary"	With fright or shock
(Cats) "She's like a bag of cats"	In very bad humour
(Cat) "He's like the barber's cat, full of wind and piss.	All talk and no action
(Chap) "The Chap shot the outlaw"	There hero in a ( cowboy .. usually) film.
(Chimley) "Santa Claus will be comin down the chimley to night"	Chimney
(Click) "Did you click at the dance last night"	Did you meet anyone nice
(Claim) "Are ya lookin for a claim"	A saying from the 60's, looking for a fight
(Clappers) "He was movin like the clappers."	Very very fast
(Craic) "A bit of Craic"	Fun
(Coddin) "your're coddin me"	Your joking
(Crooked) Sure, he's crooked as two left feet	A bit of a crook
(Chancer) " He's a bit of a chancer"	Con artist, spoofer
(Chipper) "Go to the chipper and get me a one and one cod"	Fish and chip shop
(Crisps) "Get some crisps with the pints"	Potato chips "King or Tayto"
(Chiseller) " Sure he's only a chiseller"	A child usually a boy.
(Craic) You're gas craic ,your mother must have been a cylinder!" :	Gas means funny, Crack (Craic) means fun
(Culchie)	Anyone from outside the Dublin City area
(Cultivate) "Would you ever go an cultivate yourself!"	Go and get yourself some manners?
(Cur) "That fella's a right cur"	Cur is used to describe a troublesome person

D (top)
(Daisy's) "Up me hole pickin' daisy's"	When asked where someone is and your not willing to answer
(Death) "Yer man would be a good messenger to send for Death "	Refers to real slow person
(Deadly) " "That goal was deadly"	Good, excellent
(Decko) "I had a decko at his new mot"	A look at
(Delph) "Get out the good delph for the Sunday tea"	Crockery, plates , cups
(Diddys) "She had a fine pair of Diddys"	Breasts
(Diddy's) As small as a mouse's diddy	She has small Breast
(Die) "May you die roarin' like Doran's ass! .	a curse
(Doll) "A doll, a drum, a kick in the bum, a chase around the table."	When asked what are ya getting for Christmas?
(Drink) You big long drink of water!	name-calling
(Ducks) "sufferin ducks ! "	expression of amazement
(Dump) "I need to have a dump"	To take a crap, shit, shite

E (top)
(Eat) "She'd eat you out of house and home "	Big appetite
(Eeegit) "Look out you (idiot) eegit"	Dublin for idiot
(Eel) "He has an eye like a stinkin' eel "	He watches everything
(Eyes) " Your eyes are bigger than your belly "	One who takes too much onto their plate and is then unable to eat the lot
(Ear) "He'd live in your ear and grow potatoes in the other"	A very mean person
(Eye) "Do you want your eye dyed?"	Are you looking for a fight
(Ear) "He'd live in your ear and sublet your ear-drum"	A mean person
(Eyes) "If the wind blows you'll be left that way"	Used to scare children from turning their eyes

F (top)
(Face) He's/She's a face like a plate of mortal sins	Ugly or very angry
(Face) "He/She has a like a bag of spanners"	Not so pretty
(Face) "She/He has a face like the back of a bus"	Ugly
(Face) "He's a face on him as long as today and tomorra"	Someone who looks morose or sad
(Face) "Her face'd stop a clock:"	Ugly/cranky
(Face) "She has a face on her that it'd turn milk sour"	An unhappy or cranky look
(Facilities) "She is very old, but she has all her facilities"	Common Dublin replacement for Faculties
(Fair-Play) "Fair play to ya"	A way of congratulating someone

(Fart) "That fella'd skin a fart"	Do anything for money
(Fart) "A little fart of a fella	Small
(Fish & Chips) "Give me a one and one "	Fish and Chips. "Believed to have originated after WW2 when Italian fish an chip shops opened in Dublin. The Italians could not understand the Dubliners so one fish and one chip turned into "One and one"
(Flitter) "He hadn't a flitter on him "	No clothes
(Fluthered) "He came home last night fluthered	Locked, pissed, drunk. It comes from Sean O'Casey's Shadow of a Gunman.
(Fry up) "Fancy a fry up for breakfast"	Fried meal, sausage, bacon, eggs black and white pudding, fried bread, tomatoes
(Fine thing) "Jaysus look at that fine thing"	Good looking sort
(Feck) "I'm feckin knackered	I'm really exhausted
(Feck) Feck off	A Dubliners way of telling you to "Fuck off". However often used my Mothers and Fathers in the belief that it's not a bad as that other word.
(Feck) Feckin eegit	A real eegit (Idiot)
(Fur) "Fur coat and no knickers"	Describes a character who looks the goods on the outside, but underneath there's feck all.

G (top)
(Gaff) "let's go to Micks gaff"	House, home
(Gameball) "I'm feelin gameball"	Great or grand
(Gawking) "What are you gawking at:	Looking at
(Get on side). "You better get on side"	Behave yourself.
(Ginny joe) "	Flower of the dandelion seed
(Gobshite) "Yer mans a real gobshite"	Fool, idiot
(Go 'way) "will you go way, I don't believe it"	Meaning disbelief
(Goo) "I have a goo on me "	I'd murder a pint (usually Guinness)
(Gom) "He's a bit of a gom"	Idiot
(Gotchie) "Lets go and annoy the Gotchie"	A watchman on a building site.
(Gee) "Did ya get your gee? "	Did you have sex
(Gee) "Give us a look at your gee"	A ladies most private part
(Gee-eyed) "He's looking fairly gee eyed"	Drunk
(Gick Gick La La) "It's all on your leg gick gick la la, it's two inches thick gick gick la la.	Another little ditty we used to sing when we were kids. Use your imagination as to what it means.
(Gick) "Its, all on you leg gick gick la la"	A Dublin name for shite
(Gicker) "A gicker licker"	Someone fond of kissing the bosse's arse
(Gig) "Gis a go on your gig"	A boxcar, trolley
(Glue) "You have your glue"	Don't be silly
(Grand) "Sure that was a grand pint"	A Dubliners way of saying everything is great.
(Greyhound) "Goin' around like a constipated greyhound. "	Down in the dumps, glum
(Grush) Are yiz up for the 'grush'	When, from the church door or car, the newly married groom or best man throws a hand full of coins to waiting children its called the 'grush. The reason for the grush was to get the kids away from the wheels of the bridal carriage
(Gumming) "I was Gumming for a pint"	Eager or yearning
(Gunner-eyed) "Check your change he's gunner eyed"	Cross-eyed
(Gyno) "Have you any gyno)	Money

H (top)
(Hairyman) "He ran home like a hairyman"	Very fast.
(Hames) "You've made a real hames of that job"	To make a mess
(Handy) "He's very handy with his feet."	Just a witticism
(Hardchaw) "He was always a bit of a hardchaw"	Tough man/ funny man
(Hat) "I will in me hat"	I won't do it.
(Head) "He doesn't know his head from his arse"	Which also means clueless
(Head) "The head on him and the price of turnips"	Who does think he is
(Head) "There's only one head bigger than Joe's and that's Bray Head."	A hill outside Dublin
(Head) "You have a head on you like a bulldog licking piss off a nettle" .	Ugly
(Head the ball) "There's head the ball over there"	Used to call or point out a person. "hey head the ball come over here" or "There's head the ball over there"
(Hobby Horse) "As scarce as hobby-horse manure."	Or rocking horse shite
(Holy show) "To make a holy show on ones self"	To make an idiot of ones self
(Hole) "Did ya get your hole?" -	Did you have sex
(Home) "Go . home and tell your mother to get married"	An obvious reflection on your status if you are the recipient of this comment
(Hooley) "There's a hooley on in Kirwans house tonight"	Party, usually a drinking one
(Hoor) "You hoor's melt"	Usually used in a slanging match, a saying peculiar to Dublin to indicate a part of a "Whores anatomy"
(Hoor) "Cute hoor"	Sly
(Hooer's) "He'd drink it out of a (Whore's) boot."	Fonder of the drink
(Hump) "He' got the hump"	Annoyed
(Hump off) "Will you hump off for God's sake"	Go away
(Hot Press) "Get the sheets outa the hot press"	A cupboard usually beside the hot water cistern

I (top)
If you want to get along in Dublin, you've got to wet a few throats	Buy the odd drink to get the work done
Its taking Ages	A long time
(Iggerant) "There's no use in bein' iggerant (ignorant) unless you can show it. "	A real Dublin witticism

J (top)
(Jacks) "I need to go to the jacks"	Toilet
Janey mack me shirt is black, what'll I do for Sunday, get into bed and cover your head and don't get up till Monday	Just a little ditty
(Janey Mack (Mac) ) "Janey mac I didn't know you were there"	Used to express surprise, "Janey mack I didn't know that". Could be a polite way of saying "Jesus Christ"
(Jar) "Lets go down to the local for a Jar"	Have a pint
(Jesus) "Well Jesus, Mary and holy St. Joseph why didn't you tell me:	Amazement
(Job) "I''d like me job "	that is, no, I won't do it

K (top)
(Knackered) "I'm knackered after thar run"	I'm tired
(Kiss) "He's always out kissing the statues"	Public holy person
(Knickers) "As tight as a nun's knickers ".	A stingy person.
(Knickers) "I'd eat chips out of her knickers"	Which expresses, in the highest degree, ones physical attraction to a woman.
(Knockers) "Will ya look a the knockers on her"	Breasts

L (top)
(Lashin / Spillin) "Jaysus its lashin outside"	Raining hard, Lashing
(Latchiko) "'Who are you calling a latchiko"	A bit of a bowsie, not very nice or unpleasant
(Langers) "He was absolutely langers"	Drunk
(Leg it) "We better leg it the bus is coming"	When you are going to catch a bus or train or whatever
(Legend) "Ya legend" :	Compliment on a job well done.
(lettin) Lettin' on	Pretending
(Lick) "He'd lick it off a scabby leg"	Very fond of drink.
(Local) "Are you comin to the local"	Your local pub
(Luvly hurdlin')	That's a great job

M (top)
(Maggot) "Don't be actin' the maggot"	Messing about
(Maggot) "She's as white as a maggot."	Possibly describing a Dubliner in the days before holidays on the Continent were fashionable "No Sun tan"
(Mammy) "Where are ya going mammy" (An annoying Childs question to it's mother)	Dublin for the mother to reply "over the fat woman's arse of Moore Street" or "out of my mind for the want or cause"
(Mary Hick) "She's a bit Mary Hick"	Old fashioned
(Mot) "Goin out with the mot "	Out with the girlfriend
(Manky) "Wash your hands before dinner their mankey"	Dirty
(Messages) "Go for the messages and don't spend the change"	Go shopping
(Mary) "She's is a real Mary banger"	She is old fashioned
(Mockers) "He'll put the mockers on you"	Put a spell on
(Model) "Upstairs model "	Old-fashioned bike
(Milling) "There was a mill down at the chipper"	Fighting
(Molly) "He's a bit of a molly"	effeminate
(Mollycoddle) "She always mollycoddled him when he was a nipper"	Over protect
(Mitched) "She mitched form school today"	Did not go to school
(Mortified) " I was mortified when he came home drunk"	To be embarrassed
(Murder) "I could murder a pint"	Love a pint
(Murder) "It was murder at work today"	Difficult, hard
(Mouldy Drunk) "He was mouldy drunk on Friday night"	Very drunk
(Mullingar) "Beef on the heel like a Mullingar heifer	Big woman
(Mutton) "Mutton dressed up as lamb"	An aul wan trying to look like a young wan.

N (top)
(Nellies Room) "Up in Nellie's room behind the wallpaper.	Said when a person is enquiring about another's whereabouts
(Number 2) "I wanna do me number two (child's voice). Do it in your hand and throw it out the windah. (mother's voice). :	Want to have a shite
(Nixer) "Can you do a nixer for me at the weekend"	Jobs done on the sly and no tax paid on the pay
(Ninety) "He was up to ninety"	Near boiling point

O (top)
(Outta) "Go way outta that "	Cry of surprise

P (top)
(Paralytic) He was paralytic the other night.	Very drunk
(Piss) Piss in the Beds	Dandelions, if you picked them you would piss the bed that night.
(Piss) He's so tight he wouldn't give you the steam off his piss;	Mean or tight fisted
(Piss Holes) "Her/his eyes were like two piss-holes in the snow:	Somebody who looks very tired or hung over
(Pole) "She's up the pole "	Pregnant
(Pooley) "I need to do me pooley"	Go to the toilet to do number one's
(Pox Bottle) "Lob sided pox bottle."	Worse than being called a pox bottle, I guess a variation on the saying "The pox be on you"
(Poxy) "what a poxy smell"	Bad, no good
Perishing	Freezing cold
(Piss) I wouldn't walk across O'Connell Street to piss on him if his trousers were on fire.	This speaks for it's self
(Pyjamas) "He thinks he's the cat's pyjamas"	Perfect.

Q (top)
(Quickly) "He (she) went quickly in the end"	Always heard at funerals of people who have been sick.
(Quare Fella) "Who's the quare fella over there?	Whose the stranger over there

R (top)
(Redneck) "She's a quare one, a redneck you know"	A Culchie who gets slapped on the back of the neck to go up to Dublin and get a job!
(Roastin) " It's roastin' out: "	It's hot out
(Ride or a lash) "Jaysus isint he a ride" -	A really good looking guy -" he's such a ride
(Ring) "I will in me ring"	I will not

S (top)
(Sandwich) "That one is so mean she puts the butter on the bread with a feather and takes it off again with a razor. "	Description of modern sandwich bar waitress
(Shore ) "Ma I lost the change from the messages down the shore"	Street drain
(Scarlet) "I'm scarla (scarlet) for ya''	I'm embarrassed for you
(Scoops) " Are you comin up for a few scoops"	Going for a few drinks
(Scutting) "Youll get killed scutting on dem laundry vans"	Hanging on to moving vehicles
(Shut yer Mouth) "Shut yer mouth & eat yer dinner "	Mother, Father Asking the impossible at dinner time
(Sound) "He's sound as a pound "	He is an all round good guy.
(Smoke) "He'd light a smoke in his pocket he would!!"	A mean bugger
(Sparraw fart) "Looka the size of your man, he's only a (Sparrowfart) sparrafart"	Small person
(Spoofer) "He's a bit of a spoofer"	Tell lies and somewhat untrusty.
(Seeyeraftah ) "I'll Seeyeraftah"	See you later
(Shite)	Shit, etc.
(Shite) That snotty nosed little shite: (Shit)	Stuck up, posh
(Shite) He'd shite in your parlour and charge you for it	Mean person
(Shite) A shave, a shampoo and a shite and I'm a new man.	The morning after the night before
(Shite) You're like a boiled shite:	Looks pale
(Shite) Is it shite or a heartburn ya have:	When you have no hope of getting what you asked for
(Shite) You are in you're Shite:	You're not really going to do it !
(Shite) You're as thick as shite and only half as useful..	Meaning: Describing a very stupid person
(Shite) Shite or get off the pot.	Make your mind up
(Shite) Still shitin' green, white an yella"	Basically meaning I was still a kid or a real Republican
(Shite) I wanna do me number two (child's voice). Do it in your hand and throw it out the windah. (mother's voice). :	Want to have a shite
(Shitehawk) "Your mans an aul shitehawk"	Big headed
(Skin the goat). There goes Skin the Goat	Yer man (originally the driver of the cab that took the Invincible's to the Phoenix Park to commit the Park Murders)
(Skinnymalinks) ; "Skinnymalinks maloghan umbrella feet went to the pictures and couldn't get a seat, when the picture started Skinnymalinks farted, etc	A skinny person
(Skidaddle) "We'd better skidaddle"	Often used when you have done something wrong,move on, get lost etc.
(Slagging) " He got a right slagging over the missus"	Take the piss
(Slower) "If you went any slower you'd catch up with yourself on the way back "	An obvious comment about a slow coach
(Snot) "Cold and stiff, like a frozen snot.	Keep you're nose clean in Dublin during winter
(Sound) " No problem that's sound)	No problem
(Spit) "She's the spit of her mother':	A daughter who behaves in an identical way to her mother
(Scully) "He a bit of a skully"	Being a scully is like being a prankster or up to no good......in reference to the word "Sculdugery"
(Steal) "That fella' would steal the cross off an ass' back"	Thief
(Steelers) "Steelers and Scrunchers "	Large marbles used to knock ordinary marbles during a game.
(Stocious) "He was bleedin stoucios"	Very Drunk
(Snot) "Do you want your snot broke"	Are you looking for a fight
(Snot Locker) Its a wrap in the snot locker ill be giving ya	A dig in the nose you'll get
(Spondulix)	Which is a very inner-city word for money/cash
(Stupid) Ya cabbage":	Stupid person
(Stupid) He wouldn't know his prick from his thumb except for the nail	Stupid person
(Shapes) "He was throwing Shapes"	Setting up for a fight
(Sweatin) "Jaysus, I was sweatin ' bullets"	I was starting to panic

T (top)
(Tea) "He's gone for his tea"	Usually used to indicated if someone is in trouble or about to be hurt or killed "Often heard in the picture houses of Dublin"
(Tight) "Tight as a Ducks's Arse"	For somebody who is miserable about spending money
(Tit) "Like a Tit in a Trance"	Useless

U (top)

(Umberella) "Youse better get de umberella it's pissin outside	Umbrella.
V (top)
W (top)
(Waffle) "He waffled on"	Told a long and boring story
(Want) Do you want it now or will you wait until you get it	Said by a mother if the childers were annoying her for something.
(Ware) "Did you get a wear (ware)"	Did you get a kiss
(Wide) "That fella is as wide as a gate"	cute, smart
(Wet) "Wet the Tea"	Said when making the tea
(Wagon) "Your woman's a bit of a wagon"	Ugly woman
(Whores) "You smell like a whores handbag "	Said when a girl wears strong/too much perfume
(Whist) "Hold your Whist"	keep quiet
(Wick) "I am in me wick "	I am not
(Wick) "I will in me wick"	I will not
(Wit) If with was shit he'd be constipated	He�s not very funny at all
(Wreck) Wreck O' the Hespus	Ugly (the Hespus is probably an adulteration of the famous schooner immortalised by Longfellow)
(Wrecked ) "I was wrecked after last nights session"	Means the same as "knackered

Y (top)
(Yapsy) "that shot at goal was yapsy"	It was brutal
(Yard) "Gerup (get up) the yard:	You're joking
(Youse) "Youse three are a right pair "	A Dublin original
Z (top)
Contributors to this page Grainne Flanagan Tom Ryan Brian Scanlan Dublin Pamela Keogh Lindy Beveridge Lucy from Co Wicklow Victor Varadi John