Us Irish are known for our slang so it’s no surprise that every county has their own jargon. Here are the funniest slang words from all counties of Ireland.
Depending on where you are in Ireland, the slang – like in most places – changes. A word or a saying may mean one thing in one county in Ireland but could mean the complete opposite in another county. And, like an accent, the use of specific slang can tell a lot about a person, most notably, where they are from.
Learning new slang is difficult, no matter where you are from, and even though Ireland is a small country, a bit of help regarding slang never goes amiss.
This article is both for the Irish and out-of-towners; if you’re doing a bit of a tour around the country this summer then these slang words from each county are bound to be of help! Here are the funniest slang words from all counties of Ireland.
1. Antrim – Cat
Meaning: “Bad” or “terrible”
Example: “Jaysus Christ almighty, cat weather today out there!”
2. Armagh – Rit off
Meaning: “Very, very, very drunk”
Example: “Sure, I was rit off on Friday, wasn’t I?”
3. Carlow – Lauder
Meaning: “A fool”
Example: “Ah she’s a right lauder anyway, don’t be worryin’”
4. Cavan – Cavan pyjamas
Meaning: When one drinks excessively and passes out in their clothes
Example: “Sure, he was wearing his Cavan pyjamas by the time the night was over”
5. Clare – Going bovine
Meaning: “Lowering one’s standards”
Example: “Screw it, lads, I’m going bovine tonight”
6. Cork – Mint
Meaning: “Cool” or “great”
Example: “That car is mint, am I right, or am I right?”
7. Derry – Are ye gettin’?
Meaning: “How are you?”
Example: “What’s up, are ye gettin’?”
8. Donegal – Full tilt
Meaning: “To be operating at full potential”
Example: “Jesus the rain is full tilt today, eh?”
9. Down – Burnt
Meaning: “Embarrassed”
Example: “She was right burnt by yer one the other night”
10. Dublin – C’mere till I tell ya
Meaning: Nothing, this phrase merely precedes a story
Example: “C’mere till I tell ya, Deirdre got fired the other day!”
11. Fermanagh – Awful blether
Meaning: Someone who is “wildly irritating”
Example: “Ah, she’s an awful blether, I’m tellin’ ya”
12. Galway – Chill the beans
Meaning: “Calm down”
Example: “Don’t worry, we’ll be there on time, chill the beans!”
13. Kerry – Christ lads
Meaning: “Oh my god”
Example: “Christ lads, I have a shockin’ hangover, I tell ya!”
14. Kildare – Decent
Meaning: “OK” or “Good”
Example: “Last night was well decent”
15. Kilkenny – The real alley daley
Meaning: “Perfect”
Example: “Yeah the job was the real alley daley”
16. Laois – Begor
Meaning: A useful word with no meaning, it’s used to finish off most short sentences
Example: “I am, begor” or “No worries, begor”
17. Leitrim – Panelled
Meaning: “Very drunk”
Example: “Jaysus, I was panelled last night”
18. Limerick – Baltic
Meaning: “Very cold”
Example: “Bloody hell, it’s baltic out there!”
19. Longford – Mouldy
Meaning: “Very drunk and messy”
Example: “I was right mouldy on Friday”
20. Louth – Nay Harm
Meaning: “No harm will result from this”
Example: “Ah, nay harm in checking it out”
21. Mayo – Gossers
Meaning: “Children”
Example: “Ah, I can’t go out tonight, I’m minding the gossers”
22. Meath – Gersha
Meaning: “Girl”
Example: “Where’s that new gersha from?”
23. Monaghan – Tight-fisted
Meaning: “Frugal” or “Cheap”
Example: “Ah, he’s well tight-fisted, there’s no way he’ll buy you a drink”
24. Offaly – Me ma
Meaning: “My mother”
Example: “Gimme a second, I have to ask me ma”
25. Roscommon – Tight as a duck’s arse
Meaning: “Frugal” or “cheap”
Example: “Siobhan won’t be out tonight, she’s tight as a duck’s arse”
26. Sligo – Grand so
Meaning: “OK” or “Yes”
Example: “I’ll pick that up for you, grand so”
27. Tipperary – Well boi
Meaning: “Hello”
Example: “Well boi, how’s it going?”
28. Tyrone – Lethal
Meaning: “Very good”
Example: “Your car is lethal, mate”
29. Waterford – Lack
Meaning: “Girlfriend” or “boyfriend”
Example: “Is that her new lack, he’s well fine?”
30. Westmeath – The gawks
Meaning: “Getting sick” or “vomiting”
Example: “He had the gawks after last night on the town”
31. Wexford – Quare
Meaning: “Very”
Example: “Quare hot day out there, eh?”
32. Wicklow – Lamb a the lord jaysus
Meaning: “Holy mother of god” or “oh my god”
Example: “Lamb a the lord jaysus, did you see that rain last night?”
