This St. Patrick’s Day when your standing around the bar sipping your favorite 10 Year Old Irish Whiskey, things will be different. When someone tells you to “Stop acting the maggot” or “Pull the other one” you will finally know what heck they are talking about.
Each year, nearly 122 million Americans celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. People do it in a lot of different ways.
- 83% Wear Green
- 34% Make a Special Dinner
- 31% Attend a Party
- 25% Decorate their Home or Office
Stay Informed: Sign up here for the Distillery Trail free email newsletter and be the first to get all the latest news, trends, job listings and events in your inbox.
This year, if you are one of the 122 million people, we are going to help you out by providing you with some handy-dandy Irish slang to impress your friends. Or, you will at least know what the heck they are talking about when they say, “I haven’t a baldy notion!”
Acting the Maggot – Acting in a lighthearted, non-serious manner
As in: Would you ever stop acting the maggot and peel those spuds, like?
Take a gander at this “Irish Slang” conversion chart and learn some Irish slang before you, “Hit the four springs night club.” There are many more words below the chart.
50 Common Irish Slang Terms Explained
- Haven’t a baldy notion – I don’t know.
- Banjaxed – Broken, can also mean tired – e.g. “It was banjaxed beyond all help.”
- Bang on – Correct
- Time for a few scoops? – Would you join me for a refreshing drink?
- Acting the maggot – Playing/messing around e.g. “Stop pushing me, you’re acting the maggot.”
- Aul doll – Older woman, mother, grandmother
- Wheesht – Shh, be quiet e.g. “Wheesht a minute, would ye.”
- Not on yer nelly – Not on your life; never going to happen.
- Stall the ball – Wait while I finish my drink.
- Hold yer horses – Hold on a minute.
- Scarlet – Blushing, often in sympathy with a friend’s reddener – e.g. “I’m scarlet for you.”
- Dead on – Person that is alright/good
- A quarter til – 15 minutes beforehand. e.g. “I’m running late, I’ll probably not see yez before a quarter til.”
- Deadly – Fantastic
- Savage – Brilliant
- Hit the four springs night club – Time to go to bed.
- Would ya look at the hack of him – Commenting on someone’s appearance
- Are ye going for a swalley – Would you join me for a refreshing drink? Yes, yes, I would.
- The craic’s ninety – Everything’s going well (response to “what’s the craic”)
- That’s grand – That’s OK, it’s fine, “it’s grand.”
- How’s the form – How are you?
- A lick and a promise – something only half done with the intentions of finishing it off later.
- Scratcher – Bed – e.g. “He’s always in the scratcher.”
- Suck’n’ diesel – Sucking diesel, “Now we’re suck’n’ diesel” meaning all is going good, in fact better than good.
- Top of the morning to ye – Good morning.
- How’s she cuttin’ – Hello, how are you?
- I’m pullin’ the devil by the tail – Everything is good.
- Ah be da Jaysus – Reaction to something shocking or funny.
- Gaff – House
- The Gaffer – The boss
- Cup of scald – A cup of tea
- Not a screed – Not a bit
- Stall yer witts – Be quiet
- Sleep with yer good eye open – Be careful
- C’mere till I tell ye – I have something to tell you.
- Face like a well chewed toffee – Someone who has a grumpy face.
- Get yer laughing gear around this – Taste this
- Sure ye couldn’t win an argument – To have no luck.
- Acting the maggot – Messing or misbehaving.
- Ould fella – Your father.
- Muck savage – Someone from the country side.
- Jackeen – Someone from Dublin.
- Pull the other one – Are you serious?
- Bowsie – A useless good for nothing usually a male
- Earwiging – Listening in to a private conversation
- Gander – A quick glance
- Knackered – Very tired or broken beyond repair.
- Not the full shilling – not fully sane
- Puss – Sulky face, “To have a puss on you.”
- Yoke – An object or thing i.e. “That’s a strange looking yoke, what is it?”
Please help to support Distillery Trail. Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter.
