Local Sayings, some still in common usage
Month: March 2004
Fairy Funeral
‘I know you don’t believe in fairies. I don’t believe in them myself. Though they’re there. Just the same!
Fews Glossary: B, 2
Bash He’d bash you in a minute! [He’d strike without warning]
Bastard (var. endings) Unsuitable The bastardin’ thing doesn’t fit right!
Bat Blow He hit him a bat on he’s neb.
Bat Stroke, exact time He arrived on the bat of the hour.
Be t’ be: Had to be It be t’ be that till make sense!
Be By
Beck Nod
Boon Number He had the quare boon of workers on the job.
Become Suit That outfit becomes ye well!
Bedrid Confined to bed She’s been bed-rid these months!
Bedivilment Fun What sorta bedevilment are ye at, now?
Beeld Festered He’s wound beeld.
Bees Is He bees working well now.
Beetle-head Heavy-headed: dull: sleepy
Be-hopes Expectations She’s be-hopes of clicking him.
Belt Physical punishment He got a whale of a belting aff he’s father.
Bend Effort He’ll make no bend for hisself at all.
Bemean Demean Ah wunn’t bemean mesself till arg with her!
Bit Crux When it comes to the bit, he’ll let ye down
Bing Heap a bing of potatoes: A binged-up plate
Birl swing, spin, dance Give her a birl there, ye boy ye!
Black-foot def. man who accompanies the prospective bridegroom, arranges the match, helps with the courtship
Black looks angry, expression Enough of yer black looks.
Blade contemptuous expression, of a girl: saucy blade!
Bla-fum nonsence That’s only bla-fum!
Blare – yell Give her a blare!
Blast – tune – give us a blast of yer pipes, there!
Blazon– praise
Blind – fill, close Blind that gap with a bit of a bush![n. a mask for a cow or horse]
Blirt v. spill the beans, whinge Blirt it out now! Quit yer blirting! He’s a real blirt [i.e. cry-baby, informer].
Meredith Chambre
At all times in our history the English have been quick and extreme in exacting vengeance for any violent, direct action taken against landlords. Occasionally a select Committee of the Commons was set up to enquire into the circumstances. Such a Committee in 1852 took evidence from local big-wigs, clergy and the Attorney General for Ireland in the case of the attack upon Meredith Chambre of Killeavey earlier that same year. Chambre was shot and wounded, but made a full recovery.
The people were suffering extreme distress after the Great Hunger that was just then drawing to a close and harsh landlords were evicting many of the surviving cottiers and peasant farmers to amalgamate their holdings and convert them to pasture. Questions germane to this were posed to witnesses. One must accept that most were conscious that they would be seen as reflecting their community’s [or legal] position. The Attorney General insisted that Chambre had never dispossessed his tenantry and indeed, had expended