Cathleen ni Houlihan

Cathleen ni Houlihan Glossary

Killala (proper noun)

a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina.

bog (noun)

wet muddy ground too soft to support a heavy body.

parcel (noun)

a thing or collection of things wrapped in paper in order to be carried or sent by mail.

hurling (noun)

an Irish game resembling field hockey, played with a shorter stick with a broader oval blade. It is the national game of Ireland and may date back to the 2nd millennium BC.

flock (noun)

a number of birds of one kind feeding, resting, or traveling together.

hempen (adjective)

made of hemp (a strong material used for fabrics and paper).

stook (noun)

a group of sheaves of grain stood on end in a field.

vexed (adjective)

annoyed, frustrated, or worried.

comely (adjective)

pleasant to look at; attractive.

greyhound (noun)

a dog of a tall, slender breed having keen sight and capable of high speed, used since ancient times for hunting small game and now chiefly in racing and coursing.

shear (verb)

cut the wool off (a sheep or other animal).

Irish nationalism (noun)

a nationalist political movement which asserts that the Irish people are a nation and espouses the creation of a sovereign Irish nation-state on the island of Ireland.

mortar (noun)

a cup-shaped receptacle made of hard material, in which ingredients are crushed or ground, used especially in cooking or pharmacy.

astray (adverb)

away from the correct path or direction.

shilling (noun)

a former British coin and monetary unit equal to one-twentieth of a pound or twelve pence.

begrudge (verb)

envy (someone) the possession or enjoyment of (something).

keening (noun)

the action of wailing in grief for a dead person.

coax (verb)

gently and persistently persuade (someone) to do something.

enlist (verb)

enroll or be enrolled in the armed services.

stock (noun)

The goods or merchandise kept on the premises of a business or warehouse and available for sale or distribution.