Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-13
IRISH EXPRESSIONS.
Greetings and Phrases Heard Among tn
Natives of tho Green Isle.

Greetings and Phrases Heard Among the
Natives of tho Green Isle.
When an freshman is moved to gratitude
by kindness, SAYS writer In the London
Telegraph, his praise and thanks take the
form of lnbounded blessings, and, when
the spirit moves him to curse, his obJurgar
tons are deep, picturesque and highly col
Ored.
"God save all herer' is the common form
of salutatlon on entering cottage, aud
"Cod save you kindly!'' the answer Any
thing that is admired by a stranger is al
ways promptly blessed, to keep off the evil
eye. The friendly criticism, That's fine
slip of pig" is always followed by quick,
"Well, indeed, It's not a bad one. God bless
it!''
Turning to the subjects of blessings and
of general dissertations, we shall find the
Irish language peculiarly rich and fertile
in variety Of idea and adjective, and often
in real beauty and poetical form Of express
sion. Few can tell the origin of such
phrases as ''By the powers of ioll KellyP'
though tradition speaks OF lady OF that
name being potency in Dublin. There Is
fine s0norous SWING about ''By this and
by that but it bangs BanagherF' and we
know that Banagher was once upon time
a seat of learning.
siTare- an-ages ~ is refreshing, if myster-
ious; 'By ali the books that ever were open
or shut. has vast literary sound about It,
and when it IS intended to take that oath
falsely the word "never'' is adroitly sub
stituted for lever" just as in the old
trials a witness prepared to ado his best
for the poor boy in the dock" would KISS his
own thumb, but not the Holy Book, with a
fine
the rhythm of "By the piper that played
before Mosesr' though there's no authentic
account of that eminent Semitic musician,
and there is a deeply devout meaning in the
curious expression Please the pigs"
which is corruption of please the pyx,"
the sacred vessel that holds the Host On
high at the mass. "Wurra DheeEsh'' means
''Sweet Virgin" who is sometimes invoked
in moments of danger as "Qusen of Heav-
en- and "Saints in Glory!' or Saints
Aliver' are expressions Of admiration or
wonder.
As examples Of richness Of diction, take
the charm blessing to be said to an old
woman: 20, aged old woman Of the
gray locks, may eight hundred blessings
twelve times over be on thee 2iayest thou
be free from desolation, o woman Of the
aged frame. May many tears fall upon thy
grave" a ''wise woman properly blessed
after this fashion, VII make yoz dream
dreams OF Importance, which dreams you
must never tell fasting and always tell
them first to a woman Of the name Of Mary.
( Again, there is something touehingl poeti-
/ cal in the words Of the Western charm for
love Three times, secretly. over a drink 20
be given the beloved one, the girl viii say:
( This is q charm set for love; woruan's
charm of love and desire, a charm Of God
that none can break-'You for ne and for
YOU. and for none else; your lace 10 miEe
and your head turned away from al
others" SO with the old Irish names Of
animals; they are Indian in their descrlp-
( tive power. TIE az. was the slender one,"
/ the trout was called "sreae," the zone with
tie spots. the hedgehog WAS called '1hs
ugly little fellow and the wren was known
az the Druid's bird" because if any che
( could understand its chirrup, as Il darts
from bush TO bush, be would have kn0wi-
/ edge of coming events, as foretoid By the
bird.
! What vfvidly picturesque words and Illus
trstioas .portsnen with attractive ears can
pick up, Concerning romantic rabbit run
+ the question was asked; "Are there many
! rabbits aboufi'' Many IS itF' was tie re-
/ ply: sure there are whole funerals Of
them r'-the PROCESSION Of RABBITS s1g
gested the curious idea ANY troa, II this
! streanfp '-TroQts, Is u, v ait ili the
food goes down bit aud ye. honor csn
walk dry-shod over their backs on the cher
{ side .