I'm doing signs for an Irish pub . . . and bathroom signs often allow for some cleverness, in many places.
So if Scotsmen call kids lads and lassies, what do you Irish use for that same reference? Or for men and women?
Google was of no help . . . so I figured I'd go to the source!! Thanks in advance!!
(Naughty me, I thought of Paddy and Puddy - but that ain't gonna' fly!!)
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
this is local, and seems to me they have a sence of humor with the bathroom signage......... anyone who been here will tell you its real confusin!! give em a call...........and ask them. https://www.mcguiresirishpub.com/ Posted by Jillbeans (Member # 1912) on :
A guess would be Paddies and Colleens, but I have been told that calling someone a Paddy is offensive to a true Irishman. Love....Jill PS Perhaps just the standard Ladies and Gents?
[ September 24, 2009, 01:43 PM: Message edited by: Jillbeans ]
Posted by Jeff Margeson (Member # 9145) on :
Jay,
I don't know if this helps, but the Gaelic for "Men" is "Fir" and for "Women" is "Mna"
Posted by Graham Parsons (Member # 1129) on :
How about 'Leprechauns' and 'Shillelaghs' ?
Posted by Jeff Ogden (Member # 3184) on :
Jay...Jill is right about Paddies. I don't know alot about Irish women, but the men were often cops...hence the term "Paddy Wagon".
There was some red hair involved amongst the women and children, which is still evident today, which gave everybody a reputation for being onery and wild.
I guess.
I can testify that all my Irish kinfolk were all volatile. Something to do with the heritage.
That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.
Posted by Jane Diaz (Member # 595) on :
I think of this on the same level as "cute" alphabets. You shouldn't have to try to figure it out what it says! If one has to stand there and try to figure which is the right room (especially if you have to go NOW) I don't think people will find it so cute! Make it easy. Men & Women but with a cute shape silhouette, border or image. IMHO
[ September 24, 2009, 02:43 PM: Message edited by: Jane Diaz ]
Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :
OP . . . I've been there!! Mike Sheehan took us there . . . the place with all the $1 bills stuck to the walls and ceilings . . . their Shepherd's Pie kicks butt!!
I remember the bathrooms - and they fool you is all I can recall . . . but I don't remember why.
I didn't see them in the virtual tour . . . refresh my memory or tell me which of those virtual tours has the bathrooms in it . . . or what they say . . .
Thanks for the trip down memory lane!! Jody and I flew in to Pensacola for our honeymoon on the panhandle back in 1999 - and then she let me stay a day with Mike learning the Gerber router while she shopped . . . is that a great wife or what?
Posted by Russ Kelly (Member # 1905) on :
Jay,
Ron here, I work with Russell and we've normally use Ladies and Gents for the washroom signs.
Others, it's a combination of Mna (Ladies) & Fir (Gents) like Jeff says.
It does get confusing when trying to be cleaver. One of our clients uses Foxes and Vixens on their doors and I think it's a double-take on which door to use if it wasn't for the smaller words of Ladies or Gents underneath.
Keeping it simple is good when you're in a bar.
Posted by Pete Payne (Member # 344) on :
especially a Canadian bar where they sell beer with alcohol in it
Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :
Ron . . . OK then . . . since you guys are far more specialized at Irish pubs and pub signs in general, I'm going to scrapthe 'clever' and use the Ladies/Gents . . .
Jeez, Pete . . . our beer has alcohol in it . . . it's just lower because it doesn't double as anti-freeze for the cars like Molson and Labatts . . .
Actually . . . it's all a myth . . . and I can prove it . . . OK, not me - but this website explains the difference - which is NONE . . .
So, Pete . . . you owe me a beer the next time I see you . . . for spreading false and harmful lies about American beers having no 'cajones' . . . in fact, I'll take a free beer from EACH of my Canadian friends for propagating that falsehood lo these many years . . .
When can I collect? Posted by Pete Payne (Member # 344) on :
one from each of your canadian friends? must not be very thirsty,eh? if your wearing those pink shorts i'll buy you two if you promise to pretend you don't know me
Posted by Pete Payne (Member # 344) on :
p.s. nice to see the pics from doc's place, thats some very cool stuff he's doing, and nice work on the murals, looks like pontiac was fun
Posted by Kevin Gaffney (Member # 4240) on :
Jay. Whereas fir and mna are indeed the Gaelic words for men and women, unless you were Irish you would not know this, so may be a little confusing. Lads and lassies might work
Posted by Dana Blair (Member # 951) on :
Not any help, but the best one I have seen, and it wasn't questionable at all, was a dog themed bar/restaurant and the doors said Pointers and Setters.
Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :
Kevin . . . ah, one of the true Irishmen!! Thanks, Kev . . . I thought about lads and lassies - but it seemed too Scottish . . . is that not true? Used freely in Ireland as well?
Let me know . . .
Pete . . . yeah, Doc's was cool. It's so tucked into the woods it isn't funny . . . I asked him if he was part of the Federal Witness Protection program . . . he's out there . . . but still Doc. We've gotten to be good friends through the years . . .
Thanks re: Pontiac . . . it was a gas. So great to work with my bestest friends - and even family (my son) while there. To have Ray Guzman and his son working with me was cathartic for them - and for me also . . . Ray hadn't been to a meet in over 10 years . . . And to be honest, considering the lack of 'old time' Letterhead meets anymore, I don't get to see my Canadian friends as often as I like now . . . so yeah, I'll have to mooch the beers off of you . . . most Canuckians probably forgot me . . . or intended to . . . Well, except for Sawatzk-eh . . .
Maybe I'll do another Walldog meet in Belvidere - or a meet here at my place . . . with 6,300 sq. ft., we'd have puh-lenty of room . . . but somehow the Walldog things seems like it has some real potential . . . and the city would surely roll out the red carpet again for us . . .
If I did, you're obligated to come you know . . . Posted by Brian O'Prey (Member # 4063) on :
Lads and lassies is indeed Scottish and never used in Ireland so that one's out. Fir and Mna would be more in keeping with a true Irish pub......but also use an image denoting male and female, after all a picture paints a thousand words!!! Having been in USA many times and drank your beer I really doubt anyone could get so soused as to not be able to interpret the signs. Anyway, make them work for their pee!
ps....now residing on a Greek island.
Posted by Russ Kelly (Member # 1905) on :
Here's one way to do the combo deal so you have some gaelic and still know which door to pick.
Posted by Brian O'Prey (Member # 4063) on :
Now that's a sign and a half!!! Beautiful
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
and to think I used to open the rear door of Sweeney's pub and just peed on the corner of the building Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :
Brian O'Prey . . . how the hell are you? On a Greek island, huh? Better than Mazeppa, MN by a long shot . . .!! Hope all is well . . .
Russell . . . well done . . . but in Belvidere, I'm not sure that would work. It does fit, though . . . nice way to combine the two - and sweet . . . as always with you.
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
That is a GORGEOUS sign!
Posted by Kevin Gaffney (Member # 4240) on :
Just a further thought. The gaelic words for boy and girl is "Buachaill" and "Cailin". These might look well coupled with an English wording also. Might I suggest a font called Bunchlo. I regularly use this as it is very similar to an old Gaelic typeface.
Posted by FranCisco Vargas (Member # 145) on :
Jay, bro being from the Latino...I don't think I could be much of help, but I think Brian O'Prey hit it on the target. On the cleverness part of the sign, I think you have a great imagination, but like many we feed on info to kick it in. well hummmmm what would I do... Maybe a sexy potato with eye lashes and lipstick, high heels. and for the dude maybe a cool potato with shades and a moustache, kind of leaning to the side by a street corner sign. I don't know bro I'm just throwing stuff out. What ever you come up with I know you'll make it right.
Posted by Lori Wilcox (Member # 8042) on :
We do signs for a fire and safety equipment firm - the signs on their washroom doors are: 'Fire Hoses' and 'Sprinklers' - sorry this has nothing to do with the Irish - just thought I'd share! Posted by Brian O'Prey (Member # 4063) on :
Potatoes?????? Come on.....think quality! Hope you are well FranCisco. Hi Jay, all is well in the sunny Aegean sea. Still painting signs except now in Greek, a great alphabet to play with. Months without rain allows for lots of outside work, sure beats the grey of Ireland. And in the Mediterranean light....colours sing! The less said about Mazeppa the better.....if you know what I mean. Ha! Hope the Irish pub work goes well for you.
Posted by Sunset Regall (Member # 11140) on :
wait...nobody thought of banSHEE and banHEE..?
banshee means woman of the fairy mounds. so, banhee...could that mean... man of the hairy mounds???
sorry, my bad and yes, i am prepared to be banned from this board...
sunset
Posted by Pete Payne (Member # 344) on :
sounds like fun jay , I can Harley wait for another Expedition , might even bring Red, if he still fits
Posted by Jon Jantz (Member # 6137) on :
Jay, don't see where OP replied back to ya, but here's the McGuires bathroom doors... the one with 'Mens' big is on the 'Womens' bathroom door and vice versa.
The state actually tried to make them take the signs down because it was too confusing, I guess a 15 year old girl walked into the men's room and was very emotionally distraught about it, causing a lawsuit, etc.... but McGuires worked it out with the state to keep them.. they have swinging doors right inside the main doors now, with big 'Men' and 'Women' signs prominently displayed... so you know that you've messed up without walking all the way in.
After a few drinks, you really have to concentrate when heading to their bathrooms though!!
The McGuires in Destin had similar signs and I think they've had to take theirs down.... here's the ones from Destin...
Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :
Oh, Pete, Pete , Pete . . . I'd bash you for bad puns . . . but those were spot on . . . well done!! If I do another meet, you can bet I'll ask for Red to stop by . . . and collect on my not-so-watered-down-after-all American beer bet.
Jon J. . . . THAT'S what I was looking for . . . now I remember, THANKS . . . but if Florida had problems with them, so might we.
I think I'm going to stick with Ladies and Gents . . . as tempting as it is to get silly.
To all . . . thank you. What a wonderful collaboration this website can be at times!!
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Well, except for Sawatzk-eh . . .![[Rolling On The Floor]](graemlins/rolf.gif)
