Partial South Side Irish Sobriquet Glossary

In this month's issue of The New Criterion, essayist Joseph Epstein considers " The Long, Unhappy Life of Saul Bellow" whom Epstein attributes to have been afflicted with Irish Alzheimers - "he forgot everything but grudges."

Here are some more regional sobriquets and verbal brickbats.

South Side Chicago Irish sobriquets defined-
Irish Alzheimer's = Forget everything but their grudges.

Irish Arthritis = Stiffness in every joint but one, or " I get stiff in a different joint every night."

Irish Breakfast = Ice Cold Old Style or HammsTall Boyin the morning.

Irish confetti = Bricks.

Irish curse = All spuds and no meat.

Irish flu = Hangover.

Irish foreplay = "Hey! . . . You wake?."

Irish good-bye = Long time parting ways. e.g. - "So any way . . .Look you gonna go to Headsy Dillon's wake? Naw Fuck 'em. . . .Say Hi to your Bride and kids, by the way, as long as I got you here . . .look I'm a little short to pay day . . . Forgedid. No just kidding . . .that a new topcoat . . . I gotta go . . ."

Irish gravy = Brooks ketchup.

Irish handcuffs = A beer in each hand.

Irish hickey = Black eye.

Irish hospitality = When some soth sider gets pissed at you for not knowing what time it is.

Irish luggage = Hefty Garbage bags.

Irish Riviera = Long Beach Michigan/Delavan Wisconsin.

Irish seven-course meal = Potato and a six pack.

Irish Sports Page/Funnies = The obituaries.

Irish carry -out = A Slim Jim and an Old Style Tall Boy

Irish tan = Sunburn.

Irish twins = Two kids born of the same mother within a year's time - me and by brother Whitey are eleven months apart.

IRISH up your coffee = Add Bailey's and Jamesons.


Irish virus = rampant alcoholism.

Lace Curtain Irish/ or Bicycle Irish, Lace Curtain Mick =See: Irish Fellowship Lunch -Catholic, middle class, "proper", assimilated Irish. e. g. -Any Female Judge candidates with hyphenated Irish Names -Cathy Lawlor-Redmond-Burke ( code for "I'm a Gold-plated Bitch").

McCEO = housepainter

Shanty Irish = Working-class Irish. Quarrelsome; clannish; alcoholic.

Canaryville Suit = A pair of dress pants, or nice jeans, with a turtleneck, Banlon shirt,or Dago Knit and a sport coat/blazer over it, commonly seen at wakes and political parties.

Mt. Greenwood Suitcase = A County Fair Foods canvas bag with a towel and underwear in it for a quick trip to the Kankakee,IL.

Morgan Park Tuxedo = Adidas nylon running suit, brown cloth Mount Carmel scapular and black Johnson & Murphy wing-tips

Two Toilet Irish. See "Lace-Curtain Irish." any one on the east side of Western Ave. Affluence!!!!!