Funny Irish Slang
Funny Irish slang is the stuff that makes visitors laugh and makes Irish people feel at home. The funniest Irish slang words are often the plainest: an eejit is a fool, banjaxed means broken and acting the maggot is messing about. But it gets better the further you go.
In Waterford, a ham sandwich is a hang sangwich. In Longford, anything awful is cat malogen. In Meath, when things go well you're suckin diesel, and if someone in Mayo keeps fiddling with something, they're foosterin. A tiresome person is a wreck the head, a dodgy one is a gombeen and a poor unfortunate is a crathur. When something is done the wrong way round, it's arseways.
Then there's the slagging, which is how we show love in this country. Tell someone if you had 2 brains you'd be twice as stupid, or that they've a head on ye like a half chewed chip, and you're probably friends. If they've a face like a slapped arse, best leave them alone. And if you really want to curse someone, there's always I hope your next shite is a hedgehog.
Most of it isn't meant to hurt. Irish slang is full of words that sound like an insult and land like a hug, and plenty of the best ones started out in a single parish before the rest of the county picked them up. That's why so many of these were sent in by the people who grew up saying them.
Below are 30 of the funniest Irish slang words and phrases on slang.ie, most popular first, each with what it means and an example, with a Posh English version on its own page. For longer funny lines, see our funny Irish sayings, and for the harder stuff, see Irish insults.
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The funniest Irish slang words and phrases 30
Acting the maggotLimerick +7
To behave in a foolish or irritating manner, to the annoyance of others.
Stop acting the maggot you gowl.
BanjaxedFermanagh +15
In a bad state of repair. Also broken or exhausted.
I was banjaxed last night hi led
EejitAll Ireland +13
A foolish or silly person.
Jaysus he's an awful eejit
Suckin diesel!Meath +12
An exclamation used to signify success or that things are going well.
Now ur Suckin diesel!
Cat malogenLongford +16
Outrageous, terrible or very bad. Also spelt catmalogen, cat malojin or cat mologen.
The weather is terrible bad, it's cat malogen.
Hang sangwichWaterford +9
A ham sandwich.
No blaas? Alright, gis a hang sangwich instead boy.
Head on ye like a half chewed chipAntrim
A phrase suggesting that someone is ugly.
Hi, you have a head on ye like a half chewed chip!
If you had 2 brains you'd be twice as stupidCork
A withering putdown directed at someone possessing a profound lack of intelligence.
Look at ye tryin to fix dat shelf, if you had 2 brains you'd be twice as stupid!
Wreck the headMayo +3
An annoying or tiresome person.
For fuck sake that beure is sucha fucking Wreck The Head!
Yer some boyCavan +1
An affectionate yet exasperated term for a notorious scoundrel or fool.
Ah, yer some boy to lose the car keys in the middle of a bog!
A face like a well slapped arse!Kerry +5
Having an extremely sour, downturned, and unattractive facial expression.
She has a face like a well slapped arse whenever anyone talks to her before noon.
ScunderedAntrim +5
Mortified or deeply embarrassed on someone else's behalf.
I was scundered for the craythur when he fell out of the chair!
MuppetSligo +8
A foolish or incompetent person. Also an idiot.
Ya muppet ya
Up back of leapCork
In a remote or isolated location, in the back of beyond.
Were is that place? Up back of leap.
CoddinOffaly +7
Kidding or fooling oneself.
Yer only coddin' yerself by goin' to the gym if you keep on drinkin', smokin' and bolloxin' like ya do at the weekends, Catch.
FoosterinMayo +8
Fiddling or messing with something.
He's always foosterin with somethin.
I hope your next shite is a hedgehogDublin
A colourful curse wishing an especially painful bowel movement upon the recipient.
I hope your next shite is a hedgehog.
Quare hawkOffaly +7
An eccentric or peculiar person.
Jaysus y'er wan over der is a quare hawk altogether.
GombeenWaterford +7
A foolish, dodgy, or grasping person; a general rogue or eejit.
Look at de state of yeh, yer some gombeen tryin' to flog dat knackered bicycle!
BejayzusKerry +3
An exclamation of absolute shock, disbelief, or surprise.
Oh bejayzus, would you look at the price of a pint in town now!
Ya hoor yaCavan +3
Friendly slagging between pals. Can be stretched to ya hoor's boot ya.
G'way outa dat ya hoor's boot ya!
CrathurWaterford +8
Creature. Poor crathur is a sympathetic term for a pitiable person.
Will you leave the poor crathur alone
ArsewaysOffaly +5
The wrong way around or in the incorrect order.
Auntie Maggie goh our names arseways yeh again, we're noh even identical twins!
FluteMayo +8
A foolish, annoying, or incompetent person.
He's an awful flute that fella, crashing the tractor into the ditch!
GwayTipperary +3
An incredulous dismissal meaning go away or nonsense.
Gway outta dat, you never won the lotto!
How now brown cow?Cavan
A cheerful, nonsensical greeting used to check in on someone.
Ahhh how now brown cow, are we ever going to get this turf footed?
Gas!All Ireland +8
Very funny or amusing.
Jaysus isn't dat gas! And di he ever manage to get his head out from between the bars?!
Not the full shillingWaterford +4
Not fully mentally competent; a bit simple or foolish.
Your man's not the full shilling boi!
Up she flew and the cock flattened herWicklow
An exclamation of surprise or amusement, often used at a hurling match when a goal is scored in comical fashion.
Up she flew and the cock flattened her
Gobdaw!All Ireland +6
A foolish person.
If you don't understand what a gobdaw is you aer 1!
Questions people ask
What is the funniest Irish slang word?
Everyone has their own favourite, but eejit, banjaxed and gombeen are hard to beat, and in Waterford nothing tops a hang sangwich.
What does acting the maggot mean?
Acting the maggot means messing about and annoying everyone around you. Teachers and mammies say it a lot.
What does eejit mean?
An eejit is a fool. It's the gentle Irish insult, usually said with a bit of affection.
