On Thooleramawns, Thullabawns, and Gawshkogues: The Role of Hiberno-English in Myles na gCopaleen’s Lexicon of Libel

Abstract

This note reconsiders Myles na gCopaleen’s uses and abuses of Hiberno-English through some of the columnist’s favourite insults – such as thooleramawn, thullabawn, and gawshkogue.  A master of both of Ireland’s ‘official’ languages, Myles had a unique relationship with the unofficial hybrid, which provided him with, among other things, a rich repertoire of verbal disparagement. Not only did he have an apparent monopoly of some of these terms but, like a Hiberno-English Humpty Dumpty, he may have had exclusive rights to decide what, if anything, they meant.

Keywords

• Myles na gCopaleen
• Cruiskeen Lawn
• Hiberno-English
• Insults
• Dictionaries