A maneen was never a man

exp.

A maneen was never a man is Irish slang for acting the big man doesn't make you a man.

In use

When ya see a young lad doin' doughnuts on the road ya'd say to him, "Hey, a maneen was never a man."

Let Lawrence Muck translate it to posh English for you
Lawrence Muck

Welcome aboard, dear thing. Would you like me to translate 'A maneen was never a man' in use for you?

Upon observing a youth performing doughnuts in the public road, one might remark to him: a little man has never yet become a gentleman by posturing.

Questions

What does a maneen was never a man mean in Ireland?

Acting the big man doesn't make you a man.

How do you use a maneen was never a man in a sentence?

“When ya see a young lad doin' doughnuts on the road ya'd say to him, "Hey, a maneen was never a man."”

Updated