Irelingo the slang of ireland’s locals, depicted through picture-based irish and american memes (all photos by lauren tussey)
irish when the crepes look class
american when the crepes look fire
irish
american
GOES TO A GAFF PARTY GOES TO A HOUSE PARTY
REALIZES IT’S A CASTLE
REALIZES IT’S A CASTLE
irish
american
you vs. the bloke she tells you not to worry about
you vs. the guy she tells you not to worry about
irish drank too much Guinness last night
feelin’ like a bin
american drank too much Guinness last night
feelin’ like a trash can
irish
american
so you’re telling me...
so you’re telling me...
you DON’T have food for take away???
you DON’T have food to-go???
irish me after a night of too much good craic
american me after a night of too much good fun
irish
american
ASKS FOR A BAG OF CHIPS
ASKS FOR A BAG OF CHIPS
GETS A BAG OF CHIPS
GETS A BAG OF FRENCH FRIES
irish
american
SLIPPY AS HECK OUTSIDE
WET AS HECK OUTSIDE
irish rambles up a hill
finds this
american walks up a hill
finds this
more like Cliffs of MORE am i right
irish steppin out with yer best mate like
american steppin out with yer best friend like
irish when you really gotta use the loo but you holdin it
american when you really gotta use the bathroom but you holdin it
irish
american
JUST SOME LADS BEIN LADS
JUST SOME BROS BEIN BROS
irish
TOURISTS:
the people waiting in a queue for the perfect pic
american
TOURISTS:
the people waiting in a line for the perfect pic
irish
american
went to 2 chippers in one day
went to 2 fish and chips places in one day
because fish and chips are life
because fish and chips are life
irish treat yo mot right— take her to the beach
american treat yo girlfriend right— take her to the beach
irish you know you’re gargled when grandpa’s got a pint
american you know you’re drunk when grandpa’s got a pint
irish
american
NEW MOBILE
NEW PHONE
WHO DIS?
WHO DIS?
irish
american
when Americans go back to America and realize Ireland’s better
when you go back to America and realize Ireland’s better
da feck
da fuck
meme glossary • Bin = another word for trash can, garbage can, where to throw waste (Heard while shopping: “You can throw it in the bin there.”) • Bloke/Chap = both terms used when referring to a male or a man (Heard while walking down Grafton Street: “That bloke I met last week…”) • Chipper = a place to get fish and chips, a popular dish in Ireland and Britain (Heard from hotel front desk employee: “There’s an excellent chipper down the street you could go to.”) • Chips = what the Irish call french fries (Heard at Bunsen Burger: “Would you like chips with your burger?”) • Craic = good times, good fun, level of enjoyment, not the same as the drug (Heard at coffee shop: “That’s some good craic.”)
a–g • Deadly/Lethal/Class = all are words used when describing something that’s really, really good (Heard in passing: “That’s class, so class.”) • Feck = the Irish accented version of “fuck,” heard virtually anywhere and everywhere in Ireland (Heard across the island by every kind of local: “Feck. Feck it. Feckin’ feck it.”) • Gaff = used when referring to your home, or place where you live (Heard from an employee at a wine shop: “I’m going back to me gaff after work.”) • Gargled = this term could mean a few things: being really drunk, getting a drink or a way to describe someone or something that looks sloppy, messy, drunk (Heard from a group of guys walking around the Temple Bar area: “Look, that gargled lady over there—she’s rough.”)
l–t • The Lads = phrase for a group of male friends (Heard at a pub: “Me and the lads came here for some pints.”) • Loo = the bathroom, washroom, where to find the toilet (Heard from a guest speaker: “I’ve gotta use the loo before I begin.”) • Mate = a friend, pal, companion (Heard at a pub: “I came here with my mates over there.”) • Mobile = another word for cell phone, portable wireless phone, not your landline phone (Heard whenever we left the hotel: “Everyone have their mobiles?”) • Mot/Bird = the words used to describe your girlfriend (Heard from an employee working at a souvenir shop: “Guys will call their girls bird or mot—‘Me bird’ or ‘Me mot.’”)
• Queue = where to stand while waiting, a line (Heard while waiting for a table in a restaurant: “Can I get your name for the queue?”) • Ramble = word to describe a stroll, movement, walk (Heard from tour guide in Dalkey: “Now, let’s ramble up the hill here.”) • Slippy = what’s said when it’s wet outside, also used when saying the wet ground may be slippery (Heard from bus tour guide while exiting the bus at Cliffs of Moher: “Hold the handrail as you leave, it’s a bit slippy so watch your step.”) • Take away = same thing as getting food “to-go” (Heard when entering the burger restaurant Bobo’s: “Do you ladies want to eat here or get take away?”)
extras glossary • Cheers = way of saying “Thank you,” “Have a good one,” a departing expression (Heard after buying a pastry: “There you go. Cheers.”) • Cinema = the movie theater (Heard from someone on the phone discussing their evening plans: “I’m heading into the cinema, I’ll call you later.”) • Crisps = referring to potato chips, not potatoes in fry form (Heard and seen at convenience stores: “Cheese and onion crisps, only €1.09”) • Fizzy drink = phrase for pop, soda, whatever you call it—a carbonated beverage (Heard at a restaurant: “What fizzy drink do you have?”)
• Grand = used instead of “great,” “wonderful,” “awesome” in conversation, means exactly the same (Heard 24/7 while in Ireland: “That’d be grand. Grand, thanks. Grand.”) • Lift = the elevator (Heard at the hotel: “Everyone pile into the lift.”) • Till = refers to the cash register, place to pay when at a store or restaurant (Heard at Connolly train station while purchasing tickets to Belfast: “Get your tickets at that till.”)
cheers! lauren tussey made this