Dear Irish Leaner's Forum,

I come here again seeking advice for an Irish colloquialism for the words/phrase "begone" or "go away"

The context is an Irish mother talking to her American born children, she often ends English sentences with an Irish tag:

My mother said, "Why don't you two go outside while I work on supper?" I whined, "But we're hungry." My mother began looking in the refrigerator, throwing to us over her shoulder, "So were the children in Ireland one hundred years ago and most of them survived. Begone!"

thank you all for the great advice and help in the past.

Best regards,

SEAN LOUIS TRACI

Perhaps, 'Imigh libh!' to a number of children or 'Imigh leat!' to one child. Wait for more.

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Wouldn't it have to be Imígí libh?

or Bailígí libh

or Bogaigí libh

or Greadaigí libh (as mo radharc)

Indeed it would. I'm only used to hooshing them out one at a time......

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A more idiomatic way in Irish might be:

Amach libh ! "Outside with you (pl.) !"

In Irish, unlike English, it is possible to have a sentence without a verb, especially in this kind of imperative mood.

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

"Imigí/ imídh libh" (is pretty idiomatic in Irish as well though)- depending on the tone it can be playful or serious.

As well as the ones the rest of the lads gave:

"Imigí/ imídh uaim" is used more for serious situations, similar to: "get away from me" in English.

*just something small, refrigerator is just called fridge in Ireland. You'd very seldom hear the word refrigerator.

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Please wait for corrections/ more input from other forum members before acting on advice

True - we'd never say refrigerator, but I think in this context, if I have read it correctly, it is the American-born child who is narrating.

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To everyone who responds to my questions, thanks to you all.

It is true the narrator is American-born, and the use of refrigerator is fairly common over a fridge. My mother is of this period and upbringing and routinely calls the machine an "icebox". So that's a great catch.

I am surprised no one (so far) reacted to the line, "So were the children in Ireland one hundred years ago, and most of them survived!" Is it a common thread all Irish mothers reference the misfortune of others to motivate their children? I know mine did and does to this day with her grandchildren.

Thanks again,

SEAN LOUIS TRACI

Sounds like my mother too. Whenever we complained about anything, she'd say: "There are children in Ethiopia who would love to have your problems."

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Táim ag foghlaim fós. Fáilte roimh gach aon cheartúchán.

Refrigerator was used in the US but fridge is more common now since about the 1970s. Before that it was rare and indeed icebox was quite common long after iceboxes became extinct