The Joe Finnegan show decided to talk about our favourite Irish sayings this week following on from a recent Irish Times article by Journalist Paul Clements.
In the piece, which appeared in the Times on Sept 24th last, Longford, and more specifically Ballinamuck, is referred to as the place of origin for the old saying "a big hushion of a man or woman” which apparently stemmed from the fact that the German Hessian cavalry were part of the British forces at the Battle of Ballinamuck and were heavily built.
Author and blogger Ronan Moore, and former Leitrim librarian and author Sean O' Suilleabhain joined Joe on the show to debate our love of certain sayings, and how they might have originated
Here are some of our favourites from listeners selections texted into the show...can you think of any others?
"He's as tight as a duck's arse and it's watertight."
"He's so mean if he owned Iceland he wouldn't give ye a slide."
"If there was work in the bed you'd sleep on the floor."
Cavan saying for gossiping - "She has a mouth on her like a Lough Erne pike".
"He could peel an orange in his pocket."
"He's that tight he squeaks when he walks."
"He is not as slow as he walks aesy."
"If he was any longer he'd be late."
For someone who is afraid to give something a go - "Far more die of fear than fever."
"He wouldn't give ya the steam off his p**s to stick a stamp. "
"As tight as a Carmel arse in a sand storm."
"He's that mean he take the eye out of your head and come back for the eyelash."
"He is that lazy he wouldn't sh*t if it didn't fall out of him. "
"He'd mind mice at a crossroads "
"He was so lazy. If there was work in the bed he'd sleep on the floor. "
When a listener lived in England years ago he had a friend who would go to the pub and wait for him to come in.
He said to him one day that he was the only man who could smoke a cigarette in his pocket and the whole pub had a great laugh and it stuck with him.
" A mean man wouldn't let a fart to cool soup!
"An alcoholic would drink from a cows track!
A man that is very untidy at work or with his hands - "Couldn't clean his ar*e without getting shite on his elbows. "
