around
ireland in 80
words Kunak McGann
munster
Shellakybooky Snail.
Common in Waterford and surrounding counties, this word has a variety of different spellings. It comes from the Irish seilide na bpúcaí or pooka snail, after the shapeshifting creature from folklore. Many learned ‘shellakybooky’ from one of several variations of the children’s chant: ‘Shellaky, shellaky-booky, put out all your horns, all the ladies are coming to see ye.’ Usage: ‘It was bucketing down all day and now there’s shellakybookies everywhere.’
Haboo Forty winks.
Nice and easy on the ear, ‘go haboo’ is a Waterford way of saying ‘go to sleep’ or ‘time for bed’. It’s thought that ‘haboo’ is similar to ‘hush-a-ba’ when lulling a baby to sleep. The modern use may come from a popular 18th century rhyme: ‘Haboo baby bunting, Daddy’s gone a-hunting, up the rocks to catch a fox, and wrap the little baby bunting in.’ Usage: ‘After the morning I’ve had, I’m dead on my feet. Time for a little haboo.’
Gallybander Childhood weapon.
A word peculiar to the people of Waterford and Tipperary, a ‘gallybander’ is a slingshot, usually a handmade one. Now used with much nostalgia, it conjures up images of wooden sticks and elastics – or even just a rubber band between the thumb and forefinger shooting folded paper across the classroom. The word may originate from the Irish word gabhlóg for a forked stick, or combining ‘band’ with an old word, ‘galluses’, for suspenders or braces. Usage: ‘You’re after hitting me with your gallybander, ye bibe!’
Lack Better half.
Traditionally, this word referred to someone’s girlfriend, derived from the word lackeen for ‘girl’ in the Traveller language, Cant. ‘Lack’ is commonly used in Waterford and, in modern times, has been broadened out to apply to everyone from a boyfriend to a fiancée to any significant other. Usage: ‘I love me lack so much I’d even give her me last blaa.’