Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-06-28
IRISH GREETINGS AND PHRASES,
Peculiar Expressions Heard Among th'
Natives of the Green Isle.

Peculiar Expressions Heard Among the
Natives of the Green Isle.
When an Irishman is moved to graft.
tude by kindness. his praise and thanks
take the form of un5ounded blessings.
and. when the spirit moves him to curse,
his objurgations are deep. picturesque and
highly colored
God save all herel" Is the common
form of salutation ON entering cottage.
and 'God save you kindlyr' the answer.
Anything that is admired by stranger is
always promptly blessed. to keep off the
evil eye The friendly criticism, ''That's
a fine slip of a-pig." is always followed by
a quick. well. indeed. it's not bad one.
God bless It'll" 1 F
Turning to the subjects of blessings
and of general asseverations. we shall find
the Irish language peculiarly rich and fer
tile in variety of idea and adjective. and
often in real beauty and poetical form Of
expression. Few can tell the origin OF
such phrases as by the powers of Moll
Kellyl"-though tradition speaks Of lady
of that name being potency in Dublin
There is fine sonorous swing about ''By
this and by that but it bangs Banagherl"
and we know that Banagher was once upon
time seat of learning.
"Tare-an-agesl" is refreshing. II mys-
terious: by all the books that ever. were
open or shutp' has a vast literary sound
about it, and when 1t is intended to take
that oath falsely the word never" Is
sdroitly substituted for "ever." just as in
the old trials witness prepared to 'do
his best for the poor boy in the dock"
would kiss his own thumb, but not the
holy book. with q sounding smack. Very
fine and majestic is the rythm of ''By the
piper that played before MosesI" though
there is no authentic account Of that emil
nent Semitic musician, and there Is
deeply devout meaning In the curious ex-
preston. Please the pigs" which is q
corruption Of please the pyx, the sacred
vessel that holds the host on higf at the
mass "Wurra Dheelish" means Sweet
Virgin" who is sometimes invoked In mo-
ments Of danger as Queen of Heaven"
and Saints in gloryr or Saints alivel"
are expressions of admiration or wonder.
As examples of richness of diction. tako
the charm blessing to be said to an old
woman: ''Oh. aged old woman Of the
gray locks, may 800 blessings twelve
times over be on theel Mayest thou be
free from desolation. Oh woman Of the
aged frarnel May many tears fall upon
thy gravel" A "wise woman. properly
blessed after this fashion. will make you
dream dreams of Importance, which
dreams you must never tell fasting, and
always tell them first to woman of the
name Of Mary.
| Again, there Is something touchingly
poetical in the words of the western
charm for love. Three times, secretly,
over drink to be given the beloved one,
the girl will say: "This charm set for
love; a womans charm Of love and desire;
charm of God that none can break
You for me and l for you. and for none
else; your face to mine and your head
turned away from all others. So with
the old Irish names of animals, they are
Indian in their descriptive power. The
ant was 1.-The slender one, the trout was
called "brae," the lone with the spots,"
the hedgehog was called 1.-The ugly little
fellow" and the wren was known as the
"Druid's bird, because if any one could
understand it's chErup, as it darts from
bush to bush, he would have knowledge
of coming events, as foretold by the bird.
What vividly picturesque words and il
lustrations sportsmen with attentive ears
can pick upl Concerning a romantic rab
bit run the question was asked: "Are
there many rabbits about9" Many is
it7' was the reply; "sure there are whole
funerals of theml" the procession of rab
bits suggesting the curious idea ANY
trout in this stream2" "Trouts, Is it?
Wait till the food goes down bit, and
yer honor can walk dry shod over their
backs to the other de."-London Tele-
graph