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Monday, January 23, 2017

A Very Leenane Glossary


There’s some terminology in The Beauty Queen of Leenane that might sound a bit, well, foreign to your U.S. American ears. But fear not! We’ve compiled a list of vocabulary to help you navigate McDonagh’s script with ease. No need to smutter—peruse this post a few times and you’ll be ready for your next cèilidh in just a biteen.

ARSE
verb
to be silly, act stupid, or mess around

BABBY
noun
Irish variant of “baby”

BITEEN
noun
a small piece, part, or quantity of something

CÈILIDH
noun
a traditional Irish social visit, often involving folk music and dancing

CHIP-PAN
noun
a deep-sided cooking pan used for deep-frying

COMPLAN
trademark
brand name for a powdered-milk-based, nutrient-rich protein drink



DOOLALLY
adjective
temporarily deranged or feebleminded

EEJ
noun
shortened version of “eejit” (irish slang for “idiot”), often used affectionately

FECK
verb, noun, interjection
Irish variant of “fuck”

GANGERMAN
noun
an individual who supervises labour crews on a construction site and reports to the foreman

GASÚ
noun
Irish variant of “boy”

KIMBERLEY
trademark
a popular brand of Irish biscuit (or cookie, to North Americans)

MIKADO
trademark
a brand of soft biscuit topped with pink mallow and raspberry-flavored jam, sprinkled with coconut

OUL
adjective
Irish variant of “old”



PARAFFIN LAMP
noun
a type of lighting device that uses kerosene as fuel

PAT-BALL
noun
a non-contact, competitive ball game played in many forms using one's hands or head to hit the ball against a wall 

PEAHEN
noun
a female peafowl, having drabber colors and a shorter tail than the male peacock

POOF
noun
derogatory variant of “homosexual”

PRAITIES
noun
potatoes

RAKE
noun
a bunch

SKITTER
noun
diarrhea



SKIVVY
noun
a servant, often female, who does menial work of all kinds; a drudge

SMUTTERING
noun
a profane statement uttered under one's breath 

STILE
noun
a series of steps or rungs by means of which a person may pass over a wall or fence that remains a barrier to sheep or cattle

TAYTOS
trademark
an Irish brand of potato crisps

TINKER
noun
a person who travels from place to place mending metal utensils as a way of making a living

WINE GUMS
noun
chewy, firm pastille-type sweets; similar to gumdrops but without the sugar coating

Druid's The Beauty Queen of Leenane plays the BAM Harvey Theater through Sunday, February 5, and great tickets are still available.

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