Le Finn Brady
Swear Words, Insults & Creative Abuse (Use With Caution)
Irish likes to be specific. Irish has dozens of words for the single word of ‘boat’ in English (like Bád, Long, Currach, Cábán báid, Sean-bád, Báidín, Lónadán, Luanadán and more), and even more for fields, all of which have very specific meanings.
That’s why, of course, Irish has several, highly specific or descriptive swear words for all types of situations.
Here’s some that you probably never even heard of at school.
Mild to Medium Insults & Swears
- Easóg – Cranky, nasty person (literally “weasel”).
- Cábóg – Clodhopper / clown (playful insult).
- Pusachán – A complete total whinger.
- Amadán – Fool.
- Pleidhce – Moron, simpleton.
- Liúdramán / Leibide – Somebody with no sense, complete idiot.
- Bobarún – Boob/baboon/idiot.
- Cac – Shit.
You may recognise the word Tóin from the famous phrase, Póg mo thóin – Kiss my ass.
Highly Specific Irish Insults
- Bromaire – farter / windbag.
- Spreanglachán – leggy person.
- Ainriochtán – Sorry-looking person, freak of nature.
- Feolamán – fat person (someone fond of meat).
- Spreasán – twig / worthless person.
- Preicleachán – double-chinned person.
- Gallphoc – Anglo-Irish dandy (one with an affection for the English).
(The elite tier)
- Scramaire – big, gaunt, useless person.
- Scrathachán – big, lazy, slow-moving person.
- Áilleánach – dressed-up, useless person.
- Plásán – bland-looking person.
- Raimsce – scamp.
- Scodaí – gossiper / flighty little girl.
Curses & Profanity
Irish is a little different from English, in the sense that we favour sentences or phrases, rather than singular words, to express an explicit.
Go mbrise an diabhal do chnámha – May the devil break your bones.
If you would like to make this even stronger and more damning, one might say:
Go ndéana an diabhal dréimire de chnámh do dhroma ag piocadh úll i ngairdín Ifrinn – May the devil make a ladder of your bones to use to pick apples in the garden of Hell.
Shorter phrases include:
- Go dtachta an Diabhal thú! – May the devil strangle you.
- Nár leá tú é! – May you not digest it (used when discussing meals).
- Ná déan bó duit féin! – Don’t make a cow of yourself!
- Ualach sé chapall de chré na h-úire ort – Six horseloads of graveyard clay upon you.
- Dún do chlab/ghob/bhéal – Shut your mouth/shut up.
- Cac madra faoi dhrisiúr agus caonach liath air – Dog shit under the dresser with mould growing on it
So now you’re equipped from Dia Dhuit! to the Dún do chlab!, you’ll be able to use your cúpla focail and discover a whole new world through the emerald-tinted lenses of the Irish language. So abhair Dia Dhuit domsa (say hello from me) to all the laochra (heroes) and cairde (friends) in Ireland, and say a sweet Slán go Fóill to all the amadáin that annoy you on the way.
