Saturday Word: Donnybrook

[theidolhands]

donn·y·brook [ˈdɒnɪbrʊk]:
origin: (1852) Domhnach Broc = "The Church of Saint Broc"

noun
This word is inspired by med_cat's word yesterday Taradiddle, except this one was a place in Ireland (now a suburb of Dublin).

Where, in the 12th century, a fair was held, which by the 18th century had devolved into a fifteen day extravaganza for boozy shenanigans.

Comments

[med_cat]

A very interesting word; thank you for sharing :)

[kryptyd]

Irish people don't use this word in the fight sense. The place name is too familiar. When I hear it, I just think "send you answers on a postcard to blah blah in Donnybrook, Dublin 4!" because that's where the tv station in Ireland is.

This would be a really good name for a band in the style of the Dropkick Murphies. I wonder has it been done...

[theidolhands]

Well, at least it still makes a darn fine jig:

[temperance14]

I just discovered the 'broadside ballad' in Hoagland's collection "1000 years of Irish Poetry".

Seamus O'Rourke reciting/singing "Humours of Donnybrook Fair".