Citations:gurrier

English citations of gurrier

1. (Ireland (chiefly Dublin), slang, derogatory) (Originally) a street urchin; (now) a loutish young man; a ruffian. [from 1950s]
   • [1954] 1967: transcript of Patrick Kavanagh's libel action; reprinted in Collected pruse, MacGibbon & Kee, p.172:

     "At the beginning of our encounter I want a definition. What is a gurrier? —It is a euphemism for the word 'gutter'.
     At all events it is part of your verbal currency? —It is not. It is currency in Dublin."

   • 29 November, 1967, Committee on Finance. - Vote 6—Office of the Minister for Finance (Resumed)., Dáil Éireann - Vol.231,col.1076:

     Mr. Dillon: Oh, I am not referring to the Minister as a gurrier. I am only expressing amazement that a resident of Clontarf, who has graduated to Portmarnock, should use the language of the gurrier.
     Mr. Haughey: You are wrong on both counts and I do not resent the title “gurrier” at all.

   • 1980, Padraic O'Farrell, How the Irish speak English, Mercier Press, p.22:

     "A 'gouger', 'gurrier', 'cowboy' or 'gink' is a bad type of fellow."

   • 1998, Kevin Corrigan Kearns, Dublin voices: an oral folk history, page 201:

     "A gurrier means a fella that was rough and tough and would pick a fight quite easily and his language wasn't the best"