Undoubtedly, you’ve heard of “The Great Gatsby”. In contrast, “great gaiscí” is likely unfamiliar to you unless you’re a bilingual individual from Kerry with a knack for irony. Terry Dolan’s Hiberno-English dictionary explains that gaiscí refers to someone who accomplishes significant feats, with the caveat that it is usually employed in a sarcastic manner. As an example, Dolan points to a cheeky comment from “SOM, Kerry” saying, “If you aren’t the great gaiscí!”
Indeed, there is a relationship between ‘gaiscí’ and ‘gaisce’, like in the title of the President’s Award. However, gaisce, too, has slightly contentious connotations in the dictionary. Dolan describes it as symbolising “a deed of valour” – often used ironically – or a braggart.
Consequently, this sheds a somewhat spiteful light on the Gaisce awards, which are eagerly pursued each year by countless optimistic young citizens of Ireland as a means of proving their mettle or self-improvement.
Excessive use of such grandiose terminology can often earn you a poor reputation, especially in the southwestern regions of Ireland. The HE dictionary exemplifies with a suggested use from “VQ, Kerry”, stating that “doing the gaisce” invariably translates to “showing off”.
In the scant instances where the phrase “great gaiscí” appears in newspaper databases, it is often challenging to discern whether the sentiment is sarcastic. An Irish Independent review of a 2004 history of Croke Park seems to earnestly refer to Croker as “a field of dreams where great gaisci are performed…”.
Contrasting with this, a 1973 Southern Star editorial, based in West Cork rather than Kerry, peppers the phrase with a sense of derision. The piece discusses the general elections that had just overthrown Corkman Jack Lynch’s Fianna Fail from power, an outcome begrudged by the writer. The author describes how the “bad boys”, nicknamed by their adversaries, have been superseded by the “good boys” of Fine Gael and Labour. Now, they operate under the lofty new title of the ‘National Coalition’, seemingly riding a wave of boundless joy towards, what the writer expects, must be ‘great gaiscí’ ahead.
Myles na gCopaleen employed an array of unique words in his work, one of which was “Gawshkogue.” This term, which was often spelled differently by Myles, such as “Gawshogue,” “Gawskogue,” and “Grawskogue,” was perceived as originating from the Irish words “gaisce” or “gaiscí” and “óg”. This suggests that, the term referred to an individual who was overly proud of performing what they perceived as great acts, but also carried the negative connotation of a “wonder kid” who lost their way.
Although the exact spelling of “Gawshkogue” remains nebulous, one can speculate about its roots. Myles had a penchant for devising his own vocabulary of invectives in Hiberno-English, and not all of them were as clear in their derivation. For instance, his beloved term “Thooleramawn” was often used by him throughout the 1950s. He even organised an annual “Thooleramawn of the Year” competition. However, the term is not documented in any known Hiberno-English dictionaries, and only bears a slight resemblance to the Irish word “dúramán,” which translates to “dunce.”
Myles had a soft spot for another term, “thullabawn,” which is shrouded in even greater mystery. Initially, it was the name of a peaceful hamlet in Mayo, Ireland, which translates to “white land” in Irish. How this became a catchy phrase to convey disrespect remains unclear.
Despite using these words regularly in his writings, it was quite uncommon for Myles to direct a combination of all three terms towards a single individual. However, one instance exists whereby he utilised all three slurs during a heated exchange with Dr Alfred O’Rahilly, the president of UCC, in 1951.
Throughout consecutive days, he bestowed upon O’Rahilly the Triple Mylesian slanders, labelling him a “Cork Thoolermawn”, a “Cork Gawskogue”, and suddenly disregarding the victim’s Cork origin – “the most exceptional and obstinate thullabawn”. Aside from the distinct subgroup of words exclusively used by Myles, these may have represented a subset of the words he alone comprehended. Gawskogue is likely the most understandable of the bunch. However, proving its slanderous nature would be a challenge even with the insight of expert observers from the Kerry Gaeltacht.