A guide to slang in Ireland - the top 32 from around the country

‘Yup o dat, ye eejit’, do you know what we mean?

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Many who visit Ireland on vacation are baffled by the Irish accent. Add to that the fact that there different accents within each of the 32 counties and then there’s the local vernacular to tackle.

We’ve put together a list of some of the most popular slang in each county in Ireland, along with the help of Slang.ie.

Hopefully this list might stop “ye making an eejit outta yerself” when it comes to talking with locals.

Antrim
Wee Buns – Simple
"That exam was wee buns so it was!"

Armagh
Tout – a snitch, telling tales
"You're a tout!"

Carlow
Quare - very
"That film was quare bad"

Cavan
You couldn't bate nails into a bog with a saucepan - You're weak, uncoordinated

"For fecks sake gawson,ya couldn't bate nails into a bog with a saucepan!"

Clare
Going bovine - Lowering ones standards, say in a nightclub
"I think I may have to go bovine tonight, yer wan is giving me the eye!"

Cork
Up back of Leap - In the middle of nowhere
"Were is that place?", "Up back of leap"

Derry
Sweet to the beat - Brilliant, excellent
"Right a'll see you in town at thee o' clock. Sweet to the beat baby!"

Donegal
Cat - Bad/awfull
"The weather is cat hi..."

Down
Wreck Er - Lets go out and have a good time
"Feckin Wreck Er!"

Dublin
D’yaknowhwatimeanlike – Do you know what I mean like / Northsiders punctuation to end a sentence
"I haven't a clue what i'm talking about - D’yaknowhwatimeanlike?"

Fermanagh
Banjaxed - In a bad state of repair
"I was banjaxed last night hi lad that yoke's banjaxed"

Galway
Vex - To annoy
"Will ya go outside and stop vexxing me and the sun splitting the rocks"

Kerry
Yup o dat - A Kerryman’s initial reaction when they hear good news
"Patie: my cow had a calf.
JIM: yup o dat patie boy!!"

Kildare
Beoir - A girl, a woman.
"There are some nice beoirs in Clane."

Kilkenny
Looney Juice - Cider
"I've some head on me i was on the looney juice last night"

Laois
Bate - To beat somebody up
"Oh god i'll bate ya if you keep that up..."

Leitrim
Yoke - A quick way of calling attention to something you can't think of the name of
"Hand me that yoke, would ya? Or, ya have ta attach this yoke to it before it works."

Limerick
Acting the maggot - Some one been foolish to the anoyance on others
"Stop acting the maggot you gowl"

Longford
Cat Malogen- Outrageous, horrid, terrible, something very bad
"The weather is terrible bad, it's cat malogen."

Louth
No bother - Thats fine, thats grand, not a problem
"Will you pick up a few cans? Yeah, no bother"

Mayo
Divilment - General term covering fun or excitement
"Any divilment last night?"

Meath
Suckin Diesel - Explamation used to signify success.
"Now ur Suckin diesel!!"

Monaghan
Come Here, Tell Me This N Tell Me No More - A way of gettin a conversation started
"Come Here Gason, Tell me This N Tell Me No More, Hows The Silage Goin For ya !"

Offaly
In bits - sad
"I'm in bits after seeing that"

Roscommon
Buck - Man, boy, lad, fella, messer, scan, bud. (Informal term for a person, generally male.)
"He's some buck!""

Sligo
Right Boi – All right boy? / A greeting
"Right boi, whats da craic?"

Tipperary
Manky - Dirty OR SMELLY
"Look AT THE cut OF HIM, HE`S pure MANKY WID de durt"

Tyrone
Gutties – trainers / gym shoes
"I bought a new pair of Nike gutties today."

Waterford
Smell of neglect off ye - A person that looks like they havent washed for a while or it can be someone you just dont like
"Geh the f*ck away from me boi dares a smell a neglect off ye"

Westmeath
You're some class of a eejit - You are not very intelligent
"Ur sum class of an eejit"

Wexford
Oh be the Lord Harry - Exclamation of surprise
"Oh be the lord harry, that's a fierce price to pay for a pint of ale, they say you coming"

Wicklow
M'hup in the crush – Exclamation of success
"Had a 50 double on Kilkenny and Kerry winning the All-Irelands at 4-1, M'hup in the Crush!"

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