It is common nowadays to regret the malign influence of social media. It has allowed prejudice and hate to thrive, not least in the US, where it seems to have created conditions whereby they are about to re-enact their civil war any time soon.
Of all social media platforms Facebook tends to be less incendiary and can have some very entertaining threads. Recently I came across one there, “Ah Jaysus”, (from Colm Meaney’s character in The Snapper) dealing with nicknames. Some are genius.
Such as the lad Enda May, nicknamed “June”; or English footballer Fitz (Benjamin) Hall called “One Size” (fits all); and England rugby player Billy Twelvetrees named “Billy 36″ (12 x 3) by Irish players on the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia.
Then there was the poor lad called “Sam” (Maguire) at school because his ears stuck out so far, or that other young fella named “Dulux” (as in the paint) because he wore the same coat for years. (Could have been me!)
RM Block
There was “The Exorcist”, so called because by the time he left a party all the spirits were gone.
In what was probably a Scottish office there was an Iain, and another Ian known as “Cyclops” because he had an “i” missing.
Not to mention the brickie named “Batman” because he never left a building site without robbin’; the man called Twomey known as “Socket” (sock it to me!); and he who had a reservation for every occasion, usually beginning “Ah but ...” (Abbot), nicknamed “Costello”.
A favourite of mine is the fella called “G-spot” by workmates because he could never be found. Another is the young fella named “Spider” because on a rare shopping spree he bought four pairs of jeans. Or a similar lad who ended up drunk on the floor at every get-together, known as “The Carpet Inspector”.
Growing up in Ballaghaderreen, there was a formidable and awkward woman who marched the streets every day with her head in the air. She was known as “The Roof Inspector”.
But a personal all-time favourite has to be that for a Muslim taxi driver, also in Ballaghaderreen. He was known locally as “Abdul Abhaile” (“ag dul abhaile”, being the Irish for “going home”).
Nickname, from Middle English neke name, a familiar or diminutive name given in derision or reproach.
