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PRACTICALITIES (1 Feb 2011) [this section mainly aimed at N. American visitors]

• Bum bag = small bag or sac worn around the waist with an attached belt. North Americans refer to this apparel as a "fanny bag" but don't attempt to use this term in Ireland or the UK or you will receive extreme hilarity! The only meaning for a "fanny" in these parts is a lady's "front bottom"!
• Braces = suspenders. Under no circumstances should men admit to wearning 'suspenders'; these are used to hold women's [sexy] tights!
• Pants = underpants/knickers/Y-fronts/boxers [males]; panties [females]. Trousers describes the garment worn over leg underware, called pants by N. Americans! NEW
• Eyeglasses = glasses (same word used to describe drink recepticles!)
• Bath = tub. Expect it to be filled with luke-warm water if not a 5 star hotel!
• Block = manouevre in GAA, large brick. We have no equivalent of US measurement since Irish streets are not laid in grid patterns. Furthermore, one person's idea of half a mile or kilometre tends to vary greatly with the next person!
• Toilet = restroom [Dub = Jacks and Dub/country = Bog], eg, "Where's the bog?" = Which way to the toilet? [Note reference to primitave practice of relieving oneself in the countryside, 1/3 of Ireland constituting wetlands/bog! Not to be confused with the phrase "I haven't got a bog" = I haven't got a clue!]. Peter McMahon reminds me: "Jacks" for toilet, which goes back to Shakespearean English at least ("My lord, if you will give me leave, I will tread this un-bolted villain into mortar, and daub the wall of a jakes with him" - King Lear). Thanks Peter Mc.
• Cheque/money order = check
• Queue ("to queue up") = line (to form a line) [you might note that the Irish are not so fussy about the orderly mechanics of queueing as our English neighbours - we're more like some of our European cousins in this respect]

• Tap = faucet
• Dinner = meal taken in the middle of the day, at about 1pm.
• Tea = lighter meal taken at about 6pm. Traditionally it featured bread and butter with jam (jelly?)
• Fly = zipper sewn into male trousers. In old-style trousers the flies are buttons.
• Slacks = trousers, as worn by females. Not used so commonly now and use of the word usually reveals the seniority of the wearer!

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Guest sayings

Cat, Australia): She'll be apples! = She'll be okay

(Martin Forbes, Scotland): haud yer wheesht = shut your mouth

David (Dublin): Whopper = used to describe something really good. (Thats a whopper car)

Anon (Dublin?): sure that's cheap, at half the price = meaning it's expensive

Eimear from Ireland sends this handy retort (probably handy for women!!):

get up and boogie! =a way of saying no

Tom O'Shea (ex-Dub) explains food: One and one = fish and chips [fried potato pieces!]. A bag of chips only is a "single".