An Irish Country Wedding Page 38

  turn in his eye: Cross-eyed, medically known as strabismus

  up the spout: Pregnant, often out of wedlock.

  wee: Small, but in Ulster can be used to modify almost anything without reference to size. A barmaid, an old friend, greeted me by saying, “Come in, Pat. Have a wee seat and I’ll get you a wee menu, and would you like a wee drink while you’re waiting?”

  wee buns: Very easy.

  wheeker: Excellent.

  wheen: An indeterminate number.

  wheest, houl’ your wheest: Be quiet or shut-up.

  whiskey/whisky: The -key suffix is Irish, -ky is Scotch.

  wildfowling: Duck hunting.

  willick: Mispronunciation of “whelk,” an edible sea-snail. Used as a euphemism for bollix. See under B.

  wires is (are) shaking: The wind is very strong.

  workie: Working person, usually un- or minimally skilled.

  ye: You. Singular or plural. More common in the Republic of Ireland.

  yer honour: Stage Irish respectful address, used sacrastically.

  yiz: You. Singular or plural.

  yoke: Thingummybob, whatsit. Name for something one does not know the name of.

  you know: Larded into conversation as “like” is in North America. Paradoxically it is usually used when the person listening cannot possibly know.

  your man: Someone who is not known. “Your man over there. Who is he?” Or someone known to all. “Your man, Van Morrison.” (Also, “I’m your man,” as in “I agree and will go along with what you are proposing.”)

  youse: You. Singular or plural.

  BY PATRICK TAYLOR

  Only Wounded

  Pray for Us Sinners

  Now and in the Hour of Our Death

  An Irish Country Doctor

  An Irish Country Village

  An Irish Country Christmas

  An Irish Country Girl

  An Irish Country Courtship

  A Dublin Student Doctor

  An Irish Country Wedding

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Patrick Taylor, M.D., was born and raised in Bangor, County Down, in Northern Ireland. Dr. Taylor is a distinguished medical researcher, offshore sailor, model-boat builder, and father of two grown children. He now lives on Saltspring Island, British Columbia.

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  AN IRISH COUNTRY WEDDING

  Copyright © 2012 by Ballybucklebo Stories Corp.

  All rights reserved.

  Maps by Elizabeth Danforth

  Original etching by Dorothy Tinman

  Cover art by Gregory Manchess

  A Forge Book

  Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

  175 Fifth Avenue

  New York, NY 10010

  www.tor-forge.com

  Forge® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

  The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:

  Taylor, Patrick, 1941–

  An Irish country wedding / Patrick Taylor. — 1st ed.

  p. cm.

  “A Tom Doherty Associates book.”

  ISBN 978-0-7653-3217-2 (hardcover)

  ISBN 978-1-4299-5571-3 (e-book)

  1. O’Reilly, Fingal Flahertie (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 2. Laverty, Barry (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 3. Physicians (General practice)—Fiction. 4. Country life—Northern Ireland—Fiction. 5. Ulster (Northern Ireland and Ireland)—Fiction. I. Title.

  PR9199.3.T36I76 2012

  813'.54—dc23

  2012019940

  e-ISBN 9781429955713

  First Edition: October 2012