Introduction to Northern Irish Slang
What is Northern Irish Slang?
Northern Irish slang is a unique and colourful way of speaking characteristic of the region.
It’s a blend of Irish, English, and local dialects that has evolved over time.
Understanding Northern Irish slang can help you connect with the local culture and people. Some expressions might seem strange to outsiders, but they hold specific meanings within the local context.
Common Greetings and Phrases
“Norn Iron”. That’s the first one to learn. It’s our local term for Northern Ireland. Once you get used to our accents, you’ll need to get used to our words. We have some belters (great ones). Learn a few of them, and it’ll help awkward situations when someone asks if you’d like a ‘poke’ and ensure you don’t think you’re being propositioned if someone asks about your craic (pronounced ‘crack’). Explanation below for both of those.
If you have some free time, consider taking a wee dander along the beautiful coastline.
A Quick Pronunciation Guide
Here’s the rhyme: Pronounce your ‘a’ as a ‘u’, ‘o’ as an ‘a’ and insert ‘i”s next to ‘o’s to get our prose!
‘o’ next to w is ‘i’ – so cow is coi
so famously, ‘how now brown cow’ would be ‘hoi noi brine coi’
‘u’ next to an ‘o’ can also form an ‘i’ – so scout becomes scoit
‘o’ can also be ‘a’ – so box is often pronounced as bax … ‘fox in a box’ can be ‘fax in a bax’
‘a’ can also be ‘u’ – so man can be mun
YOu may also find folks from the west of northern Ireland pronouncing any word beginning with a “Ka” or a “Ca” as if it has a Y after it, such as Cyar (Car) and Cyant (Cant)
Got it? Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it. Just keep practising
Greetings in Northern Ireland
“What’s the craic?” – a common greeting that means “how are you?” or “what’s happening?”
“Bout ye?” – a friendly way of asking, “how are you?” Bout ye boys
“How’s it going?” – a more casual way of asking, “How are you?”
“Grand, thanks” – a common response to “how are you?” that means “good, thanks.”
“Ah, you’re welcome” – a polite way of responding to “thank you”
Describing People and Things
Northern Irish Slang for People and Things
“Wee” – a term used to describe something or someone that is small or endearing
“Buck eejit” – a phrase used to describe someone who is silly or foolish
“Melter” – a term used to describe someone who is annoying or frustrating
“Legend” – a phrase used to describe someone who is admired or respected
“Cracker” – a term used to describe something that is excellent or enjoyable
“Yer man” – a colloquial phrase used to refer to a man that one may not know well or may not have a fondness for
Places and Directions
Getting Around Northern Ireland
“The North” – a term used to refer to Northern Ireland for those in Ireland
“Belfast” – the capital city of Northern Ireland
“Derry” – a city in Northern Ireland also known as Londonderry – also called the Maiden City, the reason for its multiple names is a post all by itself tbh.
“The countryside” – a term used to refer to rural areas in Northern Ireland, essentially anywhere outside of Belfast.
“The Coast” – a term used to refer to the coastline of Northern Ireland
“The Port” – a term used to refer to the Portrush
Weather and Climate
Northern Irish Weather
“Soft day” – a term used to describe a day with light rain
“High doh” – a phrase used to describe a situation that is stressful or overwhelming
“Baltic” – a term used to describe something that is cold
“Scorching” – a term used to describe hot weather
“Rainy” – a term used to describe wet weather
Other Essential Phrases
Useful Northern Irish Phrases
“Houl yer whisht” – a phrase used to tell someone to be quiet
“Give out” – a phrase used to describe someone who is complaining or scolding
“Good craic” – a phrase used to describe a fun and enjoyable time
“Great craic” – a phrase used to describe an excellent and enjoyable time
“Good night” – a phrase used to bid someone goodnight
The term ‘dead on’ is generally used to describe someone who is good-natured, but it can also be employed as a sarcastic remark, often involving a dull tone and an eye roll.
TOP 20 NORTHERN IRISH SLANG WORDS WORTH LEARNING
(and try using whilst you’re here!)
We’ve used a few golfing scenarios you might find helpful at The Open…
Banjaxed
Broken. Brooks Koepka bends a club on a tree whilst hitting out of the rough. “Banjaxed!” is all you need to say to the person beside you. All will know it’s the end of the line for that bit of kit.
Boggin
Filthy. To be used if Garcia’s caddy walks up with some serious turf attached. Say to no one with the authority of someone who knows, “Sergio’s clubs are boggin! He must have been swinging around in the rough down there!”. You’ll get nods of agreement.
’bout ye
How are you? A scenario you might find yourself in at The Open is bumping into Rory McIlroy or catching his eye on the fairway. If you do, look him straight in the eye, nod, and ask, ‘Bout ye?’ Even better, “Bout ye wee man?” If he replies, “stickin’ out’, that’s the end of the conversation. It means he’s fully prepared for The Open. Job done. Move on.
Buck eejit
Idiot. To be used when a spectator makes a noise and puts the golfers off. Point at them, turn to the Northern Irish local next to you and say, “Buck eejit!” whilst throwing your head back in disgust. You’ll get accepted immediately and might get invited to a family wedding.
Catch yersel an
Wise up! Can be used when fellow spectators, who clearly have no idea what they’re talking about, make ridiculous statements, such as comments like “I don’t think Rory McIlroy will win The Open!” Your reply, especially if in the company of large Northern Irish locals, should be a sharp “Catch yerself on!”. Handshakes may well be swapped, and beers will be bought later.
Chip
Chips or fries? Uniquely in NI, we say ‘Chip’, singular. So, if you want chips with gravy, you would ask for ‘a gravy chip, please’. If you want chips with curry sauce, you would ask for ‘a curry chip’. Fish and chips? See below for that. The word ‘chips’ doesn’t even feature in that one…!
Craic (pronounced ‘crack’)
How are you? ‘What’s the craic?’ you’ll hear a lot, for ‘how are you?’ or ‘what’s up?’. You are not in the middle of a drug deal, we promise. It is to be used when you hand over your ticket to get into The Open. “Tickets, please.” You will hand it over. Whilst they check it you ask, nodding your head slightly backwards, “What’s the craic?”. The reply might be, “The craic is good” “I, its great craic” To repeat, this is not a drug deal or a reference to a private part of your anatomy.
Dander
Going for a walk. Commenting that “Tiger Woods is dandering up the fairway” is a good way to use this. Saying, “I see Rory is playing incredibly today like he’s going for a dander round Barry’s” (a well-known Portrush amusement park) would endear you to the locals as it’ll bring on a knowing smile and will likely result in a hug and you being offered a curried chip from a poke.
Dead On
“Good, fine, or acceptable” is often used to express agreement, approval, or that everything is okay. For example, if someone asks if you’re okay with something, replying “dead on” means you’re perfectly fine with it. But beware: It can also be used as a sarcastic remark, such as “I dead on there,” which means they think you are lying or not correct.
Do rightly
That’ll do. The perfect time to use it is after a great tee-off. After the applause has stopped and there is that moment of quiet, comment loudly, “that’ll do rightly”. If it’s Rory on the tee, fire the ‘wink and gun’ at him to emphasise your appreciation of his shot.
Fish Supper
Fish & chips. If you ask for ‘Fish & chips’ or ‘Cod & chips’, you’ll easily be identified as a tourist. Asking for a ‘Fish supper’ is how you ask for fish & chips in Northern Ireland. And we have some fantastic fish & chip shops on the Causeway Coast [a list of them here] – so we’d recommend you try them out before you go. This is best used as a throwaway comment at The Open, such as at the end of the day after the last putt – you announce loudly to no one in particular, “that’s me away for a fish supper!”. You’ll get nods of approval from the locals.
Gurnin
Screwing your face up or Moaning. Jordan Spieth hits one into the bunker. You rock back on your heels and say, “He’ll be gurning about that one!”. Class…
Houl yer whist!
Keep quiet! Perfect for any situation when a spectator makes inappropriate comments, particularly if aimed at our lad, Rory. “Houl yer whisht!” Go for the broad NI accent if you can on this one
Hoak
Fiddle/rummage around. Justin Rose fires it into the rough. Turn to the person next to you, raise your eyebrows in sympathy and slight mocking towards Justin and say, “He’ll be hoaking around in there for a bit!”. Perfect.
Keep ‘er lit
Keep going. Use it when there has been a spectacular drive, and it’s still going. Rock back on your heels and shout out loudly and proudly… “keep ‘er lit!”
Poke
The cone you put ice cream or chips in. If you’re hungry and find a natural break in play you can tell the person next to you “I’m away for a poke” and they’ll understand completely that you’re hungry and not up to anything sexual. If you’re feeling generous, ask the person next to you, “Would you like a poke?”. If you’re saying this to a local, you’ll be fine. Given its often sexual meaning, caution should be taken around non-locals with the use of this term, especially if you’re a man and you’re being gallant to a female spectator who has a very large husband next to her. This might cause an international incident and damage to your anatomy. So use it with caution.
Scundered
Really peeved. Ricky Fowler plants one in a gorse bush and throws his club down. Quietly, under your breath, you say to the local next to you, “He’s scundered with that one!” whilst raising your eyebrows in a way that suggests you’ve been there yourself.
Stickin out
I’m good. In reply to “bout ‘ye” above. Say this, and NI folks will know you’re good enough to date one of their relatives.
Such a melter
“extremely annoying, frustrating, or exhausting person.” Such a melter is often said in a lighthearted or teasing manner, implying that the person is too much to handle now.
Two men and a wee boy
“It’s big/heavy”. Use this when you see one of the caddies struggling with a heavy golf bag. Point in the direction and say, “You’d need two men and a wee boy to lift that one!”. A shake of the head to one side with a sharp intake of breath before you say it will emphasise your expertise and/or authority in this matter.
Wee
Little/small or just ‘a’. To the amusement of countries where ‘wee’ is a term for urine or urinating, we use wee all the time. A wee this, a wee that. “Would you like a wee drink?” “Where’s the wee man going now?” – neither of these refers to the drink’s or the man’s size. However, if you hit a double wee – using a wee in the reply – you might well be on the subject of size. So, “Would you like a wee drink?” “Ay, a wee coke” might suggest a small glass rather than a full pint. Or it might just mean “A wee coke” – “a coke”. You’re in the ‘Four Candles’ or ‘Fork handles’ territory, so we’d suggest appropriate hand signals to enquire about size. By the time you leave NI you’ll find yourself adding this wee word in to the odd sentence. It is best used at The Open when swapping chit-chat with other spectators in between plays. “… yes, I had a great night last night – a lovely pint of Guinness in the pub followed by a wee walk on the beach…” – that’s the perfect way to use your wee in Northern Ireland.
Wee Buns
The Northern Irish slang phrase “wee buns” means something very easy or straightforward to do. It’s similar to saying “piece of cake” or “no problem” and is often used to describe a task or situation with little difficulty.
Work away
Go ahead. Best used with the word “ay”. So, you’re well positioned with a good view of the green, with the players approaching and someone asking you if they can put their bag down in front of you. Having assessed your situation and feeling happy that your view wouldn’t be affected, you do a small tilt of the head to the side and say in a cheery welcoming voice, “ay … work away!”. The situation was resolved perfectly. Move on…
Conclusion
Mastering Northern Irish Slang Words
Mastering Northern Irish slang words can help you connect with the local culture and people.
It’s a fun and colorful way of speaking that can add to your travel experience.
With practice and patience, you can become proficient in Northern Irish slang and impress the locals with your knowledge.