Sir, – I enjoyed Paul Clements's article on towns and catchphrases (An Irishman's Diary, June 25th).
I have a few to add to the list. “Abbeyside ate a man alive, Dungarvan ate a man starving”.
I’m from Abbeyside, a far superior breed to Dungarvan, as implied above!
“Ballybay for drinking tae, Monaghan for brandy, but Castlemaine bate them all for eating surgery candy.” “Tallow Bog Lane, where the flea ate the man.” – Yours, etc,
ROSEMARY REGAN,
Dublin 20.
Sir, – Sometimes heard around Dundalk: “Oh Dowdallshill, I love you still, I never worked and never will”. – Yours, etc,
JOE CARROLL,
Dundalk, Co Louth.
Sir, – As Paul Clements has remarked, every area in Ireland seemed to have its lopsided town. In Roscommon, it was “All to one side like the town of Loughlynn”, and I have heard the same repeated of other towns around the country. Phrases I have come across pertaining to Mayo were “Were you ever upstairs in Kiltimagh?”, “Louisburgh with the one bush”, and the war-cry “Sound Bellavary”. In South Kilkenny one might be admonished to “Pass it off like Mullinavat”. – Yours, etc,
PADRAIG Ó CONGHAILE,
Clonskeagh,
Dublin 14.