Sometimes, you need to find the right word to tell someone what you really think of them. Every culture has its own insults, so you can find the exact proper description of someone who irked you to no end—and Ireland is no exception. There are a number of choice insults that you should know about before visiting the Emerald Isle, and while we’ve already covered some in the previous Irish slang words article and others have essentially the same meaning in American English (“Tool”), we have eleven of the most common below. Do not take this as a guide on how to insult an Irish person. That will not go well for you! Let us know some of your favorite insults in the comments.
Dryshite
Our first word is typically used to describe someone who may not want to participate in a group activity, like going out to the pub or contributing to an event. We might describe this person as a “party pooper” or a “thief of joy”, in that their unwillingness to go along brings everyone else down.
Geebag
One thing you’ll learn about Irish slang is that there are plenty of ways to describe a fool. “Geebag” is another such term. This tends to be a less insulting way of doing the job, though as with all things, it tends to depend on the context and the emotions of the person using it. You’ll certainly want to be careful who you throw it at, as it’s mostly used towards women and is a euphemism for female genitalia. Strangely enough, some people actually take pride in it.
Gobshite
This is a word that’s hung around for a while, though as an insult, it gained a resurgence thanks to its use on the television show Father Ted. It’s one of many, many ways to describe someone who’s a moron. Its origin comes from a piece of spat-out chewing tobacco, or “shite,” from the mouth (or “gob”). If this is directed at you, you screwed up royally.
Gombeen
There’s a good chance you’ve dealt with a gombeen before, which is a way of describing a truly unscrupulous sales or businessperson. A gombeen tends to be the kind of “get rich quick” schemer who doesn’t mind taking advantage of others, though it can also refer to any underhanded or corrupt person.
Hoor
Hoor (also sometimes spelled “Huair”) can be either derogatory or playful, depending on the context. The more offensive use may describe a woman of lose morals, in that way it’s much the same as the American spelling “whore”, though it can be used to describe someone who’s a bit of a rogue by means of calling them “a cute huair.”
Langer
This insult is a bit more localized. “Langer” originates from Cork, where it means “a foolish person”. It gained more popularity after Tim O’Riordan recorded the song “The Langer” with his band Natural Gas. The song pretty accurately describes what a langer is while including plenty of references to Cork. Roy Keane also famously used it to describe Mick McCarthy after Ireland’s 2002 World Cup loss to Spain.
Lickarse
You might be able to guess about this one as it’s typically used to describe a sycophantic person, much like we would say “brown noser” in America. You’ll see this used most often at school or in the workplace.
Maggot
In the States, we tend to think of a maggot as a fly larva, but in Ireland, it’s someone who’s being particularly annoying.
Pup
Not to be confused with the political partying in Northern Ireland, a “pup” in Irish slang tends to be a term older people use for a young person who acts in a bold (and often foolish) manner. Nowadays, that pup might respond with a quick “Okay, Boomer.”
Wagon
Wagon tends to be used mostly to describe women, with its more common usage being a thoroughly unpleasant or aggressive (and often unattractive) woman, much like we would use the “b-word” in the States.
Eejit
“Eejit” is a common Irish insult that means “idiot” or “fool.” It’s a slang term that’s often used in a playful or teasing way, but can also be more insulting depending on the context and tone of voice.
