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This is a list of nicknames for the traditional counties of Ireland and their inhabitants. The nicknames are mainly used with reference to the county's representative team in gaelic games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). A few of the names are quite old and well-known; most are recent coinages mainly used by journalists. Some refer specifically to the Gaelic games county colours.

Many counties have multiple nicknames – for example, Kildare may be called "the short grass county" or "the thoroughbred county" – while some counties have separate nicknames for the county and people: for example Wexford is often called the Model county, and Wexford people are called "yellowbellies". A few nicknames are shared: any Connacht county playing a team from elsewhere may be dubbed "the Westerners"; London GAA or New York GAA may be called "the Exiles"; Westmeath, Fermanagh, and Cavan have each been called "the Lake county".

List

Other inter-county GAA teams

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Outside Ireland, the GAA is organised into regional bodies which have the same status as Irish counties, some of which compete in the same inter-county competitions.

In 2008, the main Dublin and Down hurling teams were supplemented with second teams competing in the Nicky Rackard Cup, respectively called Fingal and South Down.

See also

• Lists of nicknames – nickname list articles on Misplaced Pages

Footnotes

1. See Derry/Londonderry name dispute; the GAA uses "Derry".

Sources

• Dolan, Terence Patrick (2006). A Dictionary of Hiberno-English. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-7171-4039-8.
• Douglas, W. (1900). "Nick-Names of Places". All Ireland Review. 1 (32): 7. doi:10.2307/20544878. ISSN 2009-2415. JSTOR 20544878.
• Share, Bernard (2001). Naming Names: Who, what, where in Irish nomenclature. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-7171-3125-9.

References

1. ^ McMahon, Seán; Jo O'Donoghue (2004). Brewer's Dictionary of Irish Phrase & Fable. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 978-0-304-36334-6.
2. ^ Hughes, Martin; Gerry Coughlan (March 2007). "Regional variations: County nicknames". Irish Language and Culture. Lonely Planet. pp. 195–202. ISBN 978-1-74059-577-3.
3. ^ Corry, Eoghan (2005). The GAA book of lists. Dublin: Hodder Headline Ireland. pp. 182–3. ISBN 978-0-340-89695-2.
4. ^ "Minutes of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee". Council Chamber, Townhall, Enniskillen: Fermanagh District Council. 23 February 2005. Archived from the original on 16 November 2007. The Committee also considered a letter from Westmeath County Council which expressed a desire to develop links between County Westmeath and County Fermanagh, highlighting similarities including the status as a 'Lake County'
5. ^ Davenport, Fionn; Charlotte Beech; Tom Downs; Des Hannigan (2006). "Directory: Activities: Fishing". Ireland. Lonely Planet. p. 677. ISBN 9781740599689. Cavan, 'the Lake County', is a favourite with hardcore fishermen
6. Dolan 2006, p.108
7. Dolan 2006, p.169
8. "County Armagh". Northern Ireland Tourist Board. Retrieved 23 February 2008.
9. "Northern Ireland Local Elections 2001: ARMAGH / The Orchard". BBC NI. Archived from the original on 3 August 2003. Retrieved 23 February 2008.
10. Dolan 2006, p.46
11. ^ "GAA: Battling Barrowsiders are pipped by Slaneysiders". The Nationalist. 10 April 2003. Archived from the original on 18 September 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2008.
12. Wilde, William Robert W. (1852). "III: Reminiscences of the West". Ireland: Her Wit, Peculiarities and Popular Superstitions. Dublin. p. 87. Carlow was also celebrated for cock-fighting. About forty years ago, the following attractive notice might be seen in a cutler's window in London—"Carlow spurs sold here."{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
13. "S.I. No. 164/1977 – Local Government (Roads and Motorways) Act, 1974 (Declaration of National Roads) Order, 1977". 1 June 1977. N 80 Fighting Cocks' Cross Roads
14. "Rathoe Village Draft Local Area Plan" (PDF). Carlow County Council. p. 13. the Tullow to Fenagh and Nurney via the Fighting Cocks area running east to west
15. Rathoe Village Draft Local Area Plan, p.9 "The Fighting Cocks GAA club and field are located c.2km west of the village"
16. "An Irishman's Diary". The Irish Times. 1 June 1934. p. 4. Retrieved 23 February 2008.
17. Dolan 2006, p.34
18. ^ Milligan, Alice L. (April 1900). "An Account of his Stewardship". Cornhill Magazine. VIII (3rd Series) (46). London: 528.
19. ^ Share 2001, p.133
20. Spellissy, Sean (1 January 2003). A History of County Clare. Gill & Macmillan. p. 39. ISBN 9780717134601.
21. ^ Share 2001, p.205
22. Dolan 2006, p.190
23. Murphy, John A. (1993). "Anatomy and Essence". In Patrick O'Hagan & Cornelius G. Buttimer (ed.). Cork History & Society. Dublin: Geography Publications. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-906602-22-5.
24. "About us". Rebel Óg. Cork GAA. Retrieved 26 November 2019.; Reilly, Terry (24 January 2014). "Rebel Óg's appliance of science to eradicate burnout in players". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
25. Cummiskey, Gavin (2 October 2006). "O'Flynn's late point leaves Leesiders on top". The Irish Times.
26. O'Keeffe, Jim (7 October 1992). "Private Members' Business. – Overseas Development Aid: Motion.". Dáil Éireann Parliamentary Debates – Volume 423. Dublin: Government of Ireland. pp. 458–9. The people of Skibbereen are known as the "donkey eaters" because in the last century the town of Skibbereen suffered more than any other part of the country from the Famine. It is still a folk memory there
27. ^ Dolan 2006, p.166
28. ^ Archer, Kenny (28 May 2008). "Hitting the Target – Ulster Council decision not to be taken light(ly)". Irish News. p. 58. The footballers are 'the Mournemen' while the hurlers are 'the Ardsmen', even though there are many Down footballers from outside the Kingdom of Mourne and a few decent hurlers on 'the mainland'
29. e.g. "The Championship – Derry hurlers in fine form for title holders". Irish News. 26 July 2008. p. 73. Derry were given little chance of beating the Mournemen but they produced a sparkling performance
    Campbell, John (7 June 2007). "Happy days for Down hurler Johnston". Belfast Telegraph. Even before last Sunday's embarrassing mauling by Antrim, the Mournemen were already destined for the Christy Ring Cup
30. Ó Murchú, Donall. "Rúnaí report for 2006" (PDF). Ulster GAA. p. 5. Retrieved 8 March 2009. despite the best efforts of the Ards men, representing Down, it was Antrim who lifted the Senior Hurling Championship
31. "Down advance to Ulster hurling final". RTÉ. 29 May 2005. Archived from the original on 8 October 2009. the Ardsmen run out nine-point winners
32. Dolan 2006, p.81
33. Rouse, Paul (1 June 2006). "The Jacks are back". Village. Archived from the original on 19 November 2007.
34. Devine, Liam (20 July 2005). "The Jacks are back". Roscommon Herald. Archived from the original on 28 June 2007.
35. Bolger, Richard (23 May 1995). "Dubliners who have made it into my hall of fame and why". Kevin Heffernan Destined to immortality in the chant:
       "The Jacks are back, The Jacks are back,
       Let the railway end go barmy,
       Hill 16, Has never seen,
       The likes of Heffos army
36. "Down beat Fermanagh in game of attrition". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 18 June 2005. Archived from the original on 8 October 2009. Colum Bradley looked very sharp for the Lake County
37. "Football: DIVISION 1 A – FERMANAGH The Ernesiders". Sunday Mirror. 5 February 2006.
38. Curran, John Philpot (1855). Thomas Osborne Davis (ed.). The Speeches of the Right Honourable John Philpot Curran (2nd ed.). Dublin: James Duffy. p. 67. I say Kingdom, for it seems absolutely not a part of the same country..
39. ^ Share 2001, p.170
40. Dolan 2006, p.210
41. "Co. Kildare Cricket Club: Tour in the South". The Irish Times. 14 July 1897. p. 6 col. I. The following players will represent the "short grass" county
42. ^ Share 2001, p.224
43. ^ Cassidy, Colman (16 November 1999). "Kildare exploits its 'horsey' image". The Irish Times. p. 16. Kildare has adopted the horse as its official logo by assuming a new identity as the "thoroughbred county". The brand was officially introduced yesterday by the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy Kildare is home to the Irish Turf Club, the Curragh, Punchestown and Naas racecourse, the National Stud, the Irish Equestrian Centre, Weatherbys (keeper of the Stud Book) and Goffs – with more than 120 stud farms and more than 60 training establishments
44. ^ Share 2001, p.112
45. Clarke, Aaron; Parkes, Matthew; Gatley, Sarah (2007). "The Geological Heritage of Kilkenny" (PDF). Geological Survey Ireland. p. 24.
46. ^ Smyth, P. G. (November 1899). "The Revolt of Wogan's Wolf-Dogs". Catholic World. 70 (416): 208.
47. ^ Dolan 2006, p.168
48. ^ Fennelly, Teddy. "Laois – a county steeped in history and heritage". Laois Heritage Society. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
49. Quidnunc (18 February 1939). "An Irishman's Diary". The Irish Times. Dublin. p. 6.
50. Guidera, Anita (13 August 2008). "Social isolation and poverty blamed for early death". Irish Independent. Men in the county known as 'Lovely' Leitrim
51. McGreevy, Ronan (23 June 2007). "Leitrim aims to stop the laughing". The Irish Times. p. 5. Even in the bad old days the county was known as "Lovely Leitrim"
52. "Lovely Leitrim recorded". Leitrim Observer. 27 November 1965. p. 2.
53. "Lovely Leitrim by Larry Cunningham". Leitrim GAA. Archived from the original on 28 June 2009. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
54. "A tribute to county Leitrim". Leitrim Observer. 15 September 1956. p. 2.
55. Dolan 2006, p.192
56. Dolan 2006, p.198
57. Malone, Emmet (10 November 2020). "Limerick's Treaty United to apply to play in League of Ireland First Division". The Irish Times. Retrieved 27 September 2021.; Cunneen, Andrew (21 July 2021). "It's enjoyable watching Treaty United play soccer". Limerick Leader. Retrieved 27 September 2021. The name Treaty United is horrific. The focus of the name is actually on an agreement that would be later reneged upon by the British who initially guaranteed liberty to Catholics in Ireland – post-surrender in the Siege of Limerick in 1691. I am still to this day unsure why a city with so much more interesting history choose to bear the tagline Treaty given the subject matter.
58. O'Hart, J. (1876:280). Irish Pedigrees: Or, The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation. Ireland: McGlashan & Gill.
59. "What's your Irish County? County Longford". IrishCentral.com. 18 May 2023.
60. "County Longford - The Heart of Ireland". 4 January 2019.
61. Taaffe, Frank (20 October 2000). "Eye on the Past – No. 420". Kildare Nationalist. Archived from the original on 19 September 2009.
62. ^ Whittow, John Byron (1974). Geology and Scenery in Ireland. Pelican geography and environmental studies. Harmondsworth: Penguin. p. 169. ISBN 978-0-14-021791-9.
63. "Mayo's finest fighters to be honoured at Night of the Champs". Western People. 13 June 2006. Archived from the original on 18 September 2009. With men and women of the highest administrative standing overseeing the promotion, development and expansion of boxing within Mayo, the titles have continued to filter back to the Yew County
64. Böll, Heinrich (1998) . "Ch.4: Mayo – God help us". Irish Journal . translated by Leila Vennewitz. Northwestern University Press. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-8101-6062-0. Now the Irish have a strange custom: whenever the name of County Mayo is spoken (whether in praise, blame or noncommittally), as soon as the mere word Mayo is spoken, the Irish add: "God help us!"
65. Ó Gráda, Cormac (1999). Black '47 and Beyond: The Great Irish Famine in History, Economy, and Memory. Princeton University Press. pp. 28, 92. ISBN 978-0-691-01550-7.
66. Davis, Thomas Osborne (1845). "The Green above the Red". The Spirit of the Nation: Ballads and Songs by the Writers of "The Nation". Dublin: James Duffy. pp. 264–5.
67. ^ Share 2001, p.209
68. Dolan 2006, p.194
69. Dolan 2006, p.89
70. ^ McCluskey, Seamus (December 2004). "Farney is just part of Oriel". Monaghan's Match.
71. "A quick guide to Monaghan football". Irish Independent. 8 August 2007.
72. Croke, Andy (14 June 1953). "Fate was unkind to Offaly". Sunday Independent. p. 10.
73. "History". Offaly GAA. Retrieved 22 February 2018. the prophetic words of the then Leinster Council Secretary Martin O'Neill over 60 years ago when he proclaimed Offaly "The Faithful County"; "GAA/LEN/01 : Leinster Provincial Council Minute Books, 1915–1980". crokepark.ie/. GAA. p. iii. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
74. "GAA Presidents: Robert O'Keeffe". GAA. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
75. Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society (9 January 2007). "Offaly – Úi Failghe (The Faithful County Coat of Arms)". Tullamore. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007.
76. McMahon, Sean; O'Donoghue, Jo, eds. (2009). "BIFFO". Brewer's Dictionary of Irish Phrase and Fable. Chambers Harrap. Retrieved 4 January 2022 – via Credo Reference.
77. Black, Fergus (3 March 2005). "Biffo is OK to use on air 'because the minister thinks that it's Offaly funny'". Independent.ie. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
78. McKittrick, David (6 April 2008). "Introducing Biffo, Ireland's Taoiseach waiting in the wings". The Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
79. Dolan 2006, p.209
80. Gaffey, Sheila (2004). Signifying Place: The Semiotic Realisation of Place in Irish Product Marketing. Ashgate. p. 62. ISBN 978-0-7546-3934-3.
81. ^ Share 2001, p.201
82. ^ Murphy, Donal A (1994). The two Tipperarys : the national and local politics – devolution and self-determination – of the unique 1838 division into two ridings, and the aftermath. Regional studies in political and administrative history. Vol. 1. Nenagh: Relay. p. 73. ISBN 978-0-946327-13-3. The origins of the tag, 'The Premier County', perpetuated by sportswriters and in an occasional burst of political rhetoric, are unidentified by eleven other county-wide local historians whom I've consulted
83. "The "International Boxing Match"". The Nation. 8 October 1864. pp. 110, col.2. it redounds infinitely to the credit of this force that such a debasing and inhuman spectacle of English customs and English sport was prevented from being enacted in this country, especially in Tipperary, the premier county of Ireland; Morris, William (August 1883). "Irish Local Government". Macmillan's Magazine. 48 (286). Cambridge: 286–292 : 287. Tipperary ("the premier county")
84. Dolan 2006, p.228
85. Sheehy-Skeffington, Hanna (July 1912). "The Women's Movement – Ireland". Irish Review: 225–7. in Land League times 'Tipperary stone-throwers' became proverbial cited in Ward, Margaret (1997). "Nationalism, Pacifism, Internationalism: Louie Bennett, Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington, and the Problems of "Defining Feminism"". In Anthony Bradley, Maryann Gialanella Valiulis (ed.). Gender and Sexuality in Modern Ireland. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press. p. 64. ISBN 978-1-55849-131-1.
86. Driscoll, Matthew J. (14 March 2007). "Mayor's Proclamations: Stone Throwers Park Day" (PDF). City of Syracuse.
87. Scully, Michael (3 August 2013). "Cathal McCarron says Tyrone are up against it when they take on Ulster champions Monaghan at Croke Park –". Irish Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
88. "After match reaction: Monaghan–Tyrone". Northern Sound Radio. 3 August 2013. Archived from the original on 24 August 2013.
89. Carleton, William (1845). Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry. Adamant Media Corporation. ISBN 978-1402175084.
90. ^ "Clicking into the burning heart of Déise connection". Irish Examiner. 2 September 2008. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. The viking logo is somewhat at odds with Waterford's Gentle County nickname
91. Dolan 2006, p.74
92. Aulsberry, Bill (28 September 2007). "Honouring memory of Wallace [letter]". Waterford News & Star. Archived from the original on 19 September 2009. Waterford, the county that has the nickname of the 'Gentle County'
93. Fraher, Willie; et al. (26 July 2001). "People in Waterford History – 20th Century: 23. Nicholas Whittle". Waterford County Museum.
94. Man-about-town (27 February 1959). "City Chatter: The Title". Munster Express. p. 9.
95. Share 2001, p.167
96. Dolan 2006, p.157
97. Share 2001, p.179
98. Meagher, Thomas Francis (1853). "Irish Confederation—National Union". Speeches on the Legislative Independence of Ireland. New York City: Redfield. pp. 95–7. 14 January 1847, a meeting of Irish Peers, Commoners, and landed proprictors, of all creeds and partics, convened by the requisition alluded to, took place in the Rotunda, Dublin. Mr. Charles A. Walker, D.L, Co. Wexford, regretted to state, that Wexford, "which hitherto had been the 'model county' of Ireland, was in similar destitution "
99. Wexford County Council (5 October 1987). "Report of General Purposes Committee Meeting" (PDF). Wexford county archives. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 September 2014.
    and Creedon, William P. (1999). Exemplar Hiberniae: 100 Years of Local Government in County Wexford. Institute of Public Administration. ISBN 9781902448138.
100. Hall, Samuel Carter; Anna Maria Hall (1846). "Wexford". Ireland: its scenery, character, &c. London: Jeremiah Howe. p. Vol II, p.151, footnote. Out of compliment to William, the Irish were provided with yellow sashes, or handkerchiefs, for their waists, from which circumstance Wexford men are still often called "yellow bellies."
101. ^
     • "Loch Garman/Wexford". Logainm.ie. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
     • "Glossary of words commonly found in Irish placenames: riabhach". Logainm.ie. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
102. Laoide, Seosamh (1906). Leabhar geograiphe le haghaidh sgol agus coláisti na hÉireann. Dublin: Educational Company. p. 15. OCLC 7650530.
103. ^ Share 2001, p.141
104. Dolan 2006, p.103
105. Coyne, J. Stirling; N.P. Willis; et al. (c. 1841). "Vol. I, Chap. VII". The Scenery and Antiquities of Ireland. The county of Wicklow has justly been termed "The Garden of Ireland," for nowhere else is to be found assembled such a variety of natural beauties, heightened and improved by the hand of art
106. Croker, Thomas Crofton (1824). "VII: The River Blackwater". Researches in the South of Ireland: Illustrative of the Scenery, Architectural Remains, and the Manners and Superstitions of the Peasantry. London: John Murray. p. 130. the Blackwater between Mallow and Fermoy, a tract dignified by the name of the garden of Ireland
107. Ebenezer Cobham Brewer (1898). Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Philadelphia: bartleby.com. ISBN 978-1-58734-094-9. Garden of Ireland Carlow
108. Somerville, Alexander (1852). "Letters from Ireland during the Famine of 1847: No III: Kilkenny, 27 January". The Whistler at the Plough ... with Letters from Ireland. Manchester: James Ainsworth. p. 443. The country around this town is called the garden of Ireland: it well deserves the name. There are about 500 acres of onions and parsnips grown annually
109. Croker, Thomas Crofton (1828). "Scath-A-Legaune". Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland (2nd ed.). London: John Murray. p. 258. From the Cashel road the hill of Killough is pointed out to the traveller as Gardeen a Herin, the garden of Ireland, in consequence of a belief that it is a national natural botanic establishment, and that every plant which grows in Ireland is to be found upon it.
110. Lewis, Samuel (1837). "Westmeath (County of)". A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co. Retrieved 26 February 2008. Throughout the eastern part of the county the soil is a heavy loam from seven to twelve inches (305 mm) deep, resting on a yellow till: the land here is chiefly under pasture and feeds the fattest bullocks; from its great fertility it has been called the "garden of Ireland;"
111. The Earl of Derby, speaking in the House of Lords in opposition to the Irish Church Act 1869; quoted in Saintsbury, George (1892). The Earl of Derby. The Prime Ministers of Queen Victoria. ed. Stuart J. Reid. New York: Harper & Brothers. p. 192. These are the men who, united by you to settle in Ireland, converted Ulster from a barren waste into a thriving province; and who, by their energy, their industry, and their steady conduct, have made the province of Ulster not merely the 'garden of Ireland' but the most gratifying and wonderful contrast to those parts of Ireland in which the Protestant religion does not prevail
112. "Gearing up for the championship". Wicklow People. 27 March 2008. I knew a man once who used to say the [sic] Dublin would win nothing without a Wicklow man on the team, a bit of an exaggeration perhaps but if you look through the record books you will find quite a few 'goat-suckers' on Dublin teams in the past
113. Project, County Wicklow Heritage (1 February 1993). "The Last County: The Emergence of Wicklow as a County 1606–1845". County Wicklow Heritage Project.
114. "Wicklow – Ireland's last county". www.irishidentity.com.
115. Sites (www.communitysites.co.uk), Community. "A General View of County Wicklow | The Last County | Places | County Wicklow Heritage". www.countywicklowheritage.org.
116. Sites (www.communitysites.co.uk), Community. "The Last County – Wicklow on the Eve of the Famine | THE LAST COUNTY | Topics | County Wicklow Heritage". www.countywicklowheritage.org.
117. ^ Cummiskey, Gavin (17 May 2007). "Down, Dublin teams to compete in Rackard". The Irish Times. p. Sport, p.24. The GAA confirmed yesterday that second teams from Down and Dublin would compete in the Nicky Rackard Cup in 2008 non-Ards (Down) and Fingal (Dublin) sides will be entered "on a basis determined by the Central Competitions Control Committee"
118. ^ "Hertfordshire County Board". Archived from the original on 6 January 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
119. Council, Lancashire County. "Winter in Lancashire – Lancashire County Council".
120. Byrne, Paul (13 January 2017). "UK's dogging hotspot revealed as county voted best place for sex with strangers".
121. Fitzpatrick, Matt (9 February 2009). "Non-Ardsmen have 'keeper to thank". Irish News. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.

• Lists related to counties of Ireland
• Gaelic games culture
• Gaelic games-related lists
• Nicknames in sports
• Lists of regional nicknames
• Lists of place name etymologies
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