New to Ireland? If you constantly feel lost in the middle of a conversation, we’re here to help with the lingo.
Famous for Guinness, black pudding and green hills, the beautiful country of Ireland is known for the amazing countryside, stunning cities and – sometimes – its gregarious natives.
So, if you’re trying to pick up accents and Irish slangs from television shows or movies, just a little reminder that the accent varies from region to region.
So, stall the ball, guys, a hape of common Irish slangs are coming your way.
Food & Beverage Terms
| Irish Terms | Meanings |
| Afters | Dessert |
| Blackers | Blackberries |
| Chipper | Fish and chip shop |
| Fluthered | Very drunk |
| Gargle | Beer or alcohol |
| Jar | Beer |
| Locked | Very drunk |
| Messages | Shopping or groceries |
| On the tear | Going drinking |
| Pan | Bread |
| Pandy | Mashed potatoes |
| Poppy | Potatoes |
| Scald | Tea |
| Scoops | Alcoholic drink |
| Scuttered, Ossified, Mouldy, Buckled | To be drunk |
Human Description
| Irish Terms | Meanings |
| Chancer | A dodgy or risky character |
| Chiseler | Young child (Dublin slang) |
| Ciotóg | Left-handed |
| Culchie | A person from a rural/agricultural area |
| Dosser | Someone not working or messing about, up to no good |
| Earwiging | Listening in on a private conversation |
| Fella | Used for your guy, as in ‘Me Fella’ partner/husband/boyfriend |
| Fine thing | Good looking man or woman |
| Flahulach | Flamboyant; also, very generous |
| Holy Joe | A self-righteous person |
| Jibber | A person afraid to try new things |
| Melter | A person who is very annoying |
| Oul‘ Dear / Oul‘ Wan | Mother, Mom |
| Oul’ Fella | Father |
| Rugger Bugger | Someone who is posh, loud and loves Rugby |
| Throw shapes | Show off, sometimes aggressively |
Weather, Location & Vehicles
| Irish Terms | Meanings |
| Bucketing down | Raining hard |
| Gaff | Home, to have a ‘free gaff’ means you are home alone |
| Jacks | Toilet |
| Jo Maxi | Taxi, cab |
| Kip | Used to refer to sleep; a dirty or unpleasant place |
| Lash | The word has the following meanings: |
| 1. To rain hard | |
| 1. To make an attempt at something | |
| 1. To go out drinking | |
| Nixer | An extra or irregular job, the income from which is not declared for taxation purposes |
| Pictures | Movies, film |
| The Pale | Anywhere in the region of Dublin |
| Trinners | Trinity College Dublin |
| Yonks | A long time |
| Black Mariah | Police van |
| Bombardier | A type of Irish bus |
| Bonnet | Car hood |
| Boreen | Narrow lane |
| Yoyo | Euro |
| Zonk | One-pound coin |
Common Irish Phrases
| Phrases | Meanings |
| A whale of a time | If someone says they are having a whale of a time they mean they’re enjoying themselves very much |
| Cheese on your chin | A chat |
| Do the washing | Wash clothes |
| Doing (or speaking) nineteen to the dozen | Going (or speaking) very fast |
| Donkey’s years | A very, very long time |
| Down the swanie | Down the drain |
| Eat the head off | Annoyed or to scold someone |
| Fierce weather | Threatening weather |
| Go way outta that | Has several meanings including exclamation of disbelief or don’t be silly or it’s no trouble |
| Happy out | It simply means to be happy |
| Haven’t a baldies | When you are unsure of an answer to a question |
| Holy show | Disgraceful scene |
| How’s he / she cuttin’? | Used to ask ‘How are you?’ or ‘What’s the news?’ |
| I will yea | A sarcastic way of saying that someone will definitely not do something |
| I’m gonna head on | Going to leave |
| Like hen’s teeth | Extremely rare or impossible to obtain |
| Put the heart crossways | To give someone a fright |
| Sell ya the eye out of your head | Acon man who will sell anything |
| Stall the ball | Slow down or stop. |
| Sure, look it | It is what it is, whatever happens, happens |
| That’s a fret | An exclamation used to react to something unbelievable yet not completely impossible |
| The dose is goin‘ round | Used to refer to a viral illness |
| Wet the tea | Put teabags in boiling water |
| You couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo | An uncoordinated person |
| Your head’s a marley | One is foolish or stupid |
Well, that was quite a list, but we don’t claim to have covered every phrase and slang from the vast Irish treasure trove. You may have come across a few that are not on our list. So, do let us know in the comments if we have missed out on any Irish phrases, words or slang. We will surely put them in our list.
You Might Also Want To Read: Moving To Canada? Here Are 75 Canadian English Slangs & Phrases You Must Know
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