2026-07-13 14:59 UTC
Hiberno-English word/phrase of the day:
Bru
(Also "The Buroo"; "The Brew".)
"Bru" means "unemployment benefit", "the dole" (from a mispronunciation of "bureau", as in "welfare bureau"). "He's on the bru again"; "She's been on the bru for the last five years".
In Belfast the word is given the same pronunciation as "Bórú" in the name Brian Bórú, and a Belfast person would thus say that he/she is "on the Brian".
#ireland #slang #language
Replies (1)
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@Fionnbharr@mastodon.ie 2026-07-13 14:59
Other terms for the unemployment benefit: "The Scratch": One of the most common terms, often used in places like Dublin. It stems from the phrase "signing on the scratcher." "Signing On": The standard colloquial phrase for the physical or digital process of claiming jobseeker's allowance. "The Stamp": Historically refers to the PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance) stamp on a pay slip; hence, "being on the stamps" means you are claiming unemployment. #ireland #slang #language