7 Irish Family Sayings That Confused Everyone Else (But Made Total Sense to Us)
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If you grew up in an Irish household, chances are you were raised speaking a second language without even realising it. Not Gaeilge exactly (though maybe a bit of that too), but the language of Irish family sayings: those odd, poetic, hilarious turns of phrase passed from generation to generation. Some were warnings, some were jokes, some were affectionate insults — but all of them stitched into our lives with warmth and wisdom.
When we asked the Love Ireland Facebook community to share the Irish sayings their families always used, the comment section exploded. From Donegal to Boston, Cork to Calgary, it was clear: we might live oceans apart, but we still speak the same way at the kitchen table. Here are just seven of our favourite replies, each one packed with more character than a pot of stew.
- “Acting the maggot”
Meaning: Fooling around, being annoying, misbehaving.
Used in context: “If you don’t stop acting the maggot, you’ll be out that door!”
Why outsiders don’t get it: To a non-Irish ear, this one just sounds… buggy. But to us, it means you’re pushing your luck.
- “He has notions”
Meaning: Someone thinks a bit too much of themselves; putting on airs.
Used in context: “Did you see him arrive in a velvet jacket? He has notions, that lad.”
Why outsiders don’t get it: It’s both an insult and a weird form of admiration. Complex and deadly accurate.
- “Scarlet for your ma”
Meaning: I’m embarrassed on your behalf.
Used in context: “She asked the waiter if the chips came from real potatoes. I was scarlet for her ma.”
Why outsiders don’t get it: ‘Scarlet’ isn’t just a colour here. It’s a whole emotional category.
- “Codding me”
Meaning: You’re winding me up; you can’t be serious.
Used in context: “You got front row seats to U2 for free? You’re codding me!”
Why outsiders don’t get it: Americans think you mean ‘coddling’. Entirely different vibe.
- “Your man / Your one”
Meaning: That guy / that woman (often used when you don’t know their name).
Used in context: “Your one behind the counter gave me the wrong change.”
Why outsiders don’t get it: Sounds like you know them personally. You don’t. It’s just shorthand with built-in attitude.
- “As happy out”
Meaning: Completely content, no fuss.
Used in context: “He was sitting there with his pint and the paper, happy out.”
Why outsiders don’t get it: Sounds unfinished to most. To us, it’s the perfect full stop.
- “It’s a grand soft day”
Meaning: It’s raining, but gently — and that’s no bad thing.
Used in context: “No umbrella needed. It’s a grand soft day.”
Why outsiders don’t get it: Only in Ireland can sideways mist be considered ‘grand’.
Bonus Sayings from the Love Ireland Community
When we asked our readers to share their own family sayings, we were flooded with memories, one-liners, and perfect bits of Irish wit. Here are just a few more we loved:
- “Where was ya goin’ when I saw ya comin’ back?”
- “See what thought did — it pissed the bed and blamed the blankets.”
- “Don’t be there till you’re back.”
- “You’ll make a holy show of the place.”
- “She came in with one hand as long as the other.”
- “Now in a minute.”
- “He gets in with you to get at you.”
- “I didn’t come up the Lagan in a soapy bubble.”
- “Steel the eye out of your head and come back for your lashes.”
- “Jesus, Mary and Joseph… and the wee donkey!”
Honestly, we could write an entire book. And maybe one day, we will.
Closing Thoughts
Irish family sayings are more than expressions — they’re hand-me-downs. Tied to memory, identity, and an entire way of seeing the world, they live in us long after we’ve moved away or lost the ones who said them first.
Got one of your own? We want to hear it. Share it here, and if you’re hungry for more stories like this, join our newsletter. Every morning, we send a little piece of Ireland straight to your inbox — sayings, secrets, stories, and all.
Slán for now!
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