A HAPPY 25 JANUARY to all one’s dearest fans, so pull up a chair for another Bluffer’s Guide to Irish.
The Bluffer is having a cóisir - a party in his house next week and, because it is soooo long since he has organised anything like this, he’s a bit perplexed about na rialacha - the rules.
Let’s face it, there’s a lot of stress that goes into organising parties.
Tá mé go mór faoi strus - I’m stressed out is an oft-heard phrase from hosts after they’ve done the shopping and the cooking and the tidying and the cleaning as they turn their bathrooms into areas so clean they could be used as nano-tech research facilities.
So, dear readers, cad é na béasa a bhaineann le cóisireacha? What is the etiquette when it comes to parties?
For instance, if someone invites you to their place for 8pm, do you arrive there ar bhuille an hocht? - at 8pm sharp or do you wait until half past? Is it ok to arrive early?
From experience, it’s best to arrive fashionably late.
You don’t want to arrive early to be assaulted by a mixture of bleach and Fabreeze only to find the host and hostess i ndeabhaidh le chéile - fighting with each other over who was in charge of the vol au vents.
Neither is it a good look to go to a party i ndiaidh an mheán-oíche after midnight and you’ve been chucked out of the pub.
That ain’t gonna happen at the Bluffer’s party as it is cuireadh amháin - invitation only.
In an informal party – not the formal sit-down dinner party you hear socialites talking about – the hosts will provide all the grub which could be anything from a stew with dauphinoise potatoes or coq au vin to several huge packets of mixed crisps and nuts.
Deochanna - drinks. What’s the craic? It depends on the culture.
The Bluffer was reading an article about different behaviours in Argentina vs the rest of the world.
Here, people arrive with their blue bags and “Is liomsa é seo” - “This belongs to me” written on its contents and woe betide anyone who goes near their WKD Blue.
In Argentina, everyone’s drink goes into a central ciste - a kitty for everyone to partake in. I can’t see that working here!
The norm here is for the hosts to have a stash of alcohol for their aíonna - guests who also bring along a buideál fíona - a bottle of wine of their own.
After an hour or so, everything should be going swimmingly with everyone i mbun comhrá - deep in conversation.
Hopefully, the people who hadn’t met each other before will get on well with each other réitigh siad go breá lena chéile - they got on really well with each other.
There could even be a seisiún amhránaíochta - a sing-song before the wine and the food and the effort kicks in and everyone starts to get a little tired.
Then there comes the difficult time when hosts might want to call it a day or guests want to head home.
In a perfect world, that all happens at the same moment and everyone is delighted with a lovely evenings craic agus cuideachta - fun and good company.
CUPLA FOCAL
cóisir(coesher) - a party
na rialacha(ne reealaha) - the rules
Cad é na béasa a bhaineann le cóisireacha?(cadge ay na baysa a winyin le coeshiraha) - What is the etiquette when it comes to parties?
ar bhuille an hocht?(er wilya un hokht) - at 8pm sharp
i ndeabhaidh le chéile (i nyaowee le cayla) - fighting with each other
tá mé go mór faoi strus(taa my gaw more fwee struss) - I’m stressed out
i ndiaidh an mheán-oíche (i nyay un vaan-eeha) - after midnight
cuireadh amháin(curoo awine) - invitation only
deochanna(jawkhana) - drinks
Is liomsa é seo (iss lumsa ay shaw) - this is mine
ciste(kishtya) - a kitty
aíonna(eeana) - guests
buideál fíona(budgeaal feena) - a bottle of wine
i mbun comhrá (i mun coe-ra) - deep in conversation
réitigh siad go breá lena chéile (raytchee shade gaw myh lena caylia) - they got on really well with each other ()
seisiún amhránaíochta (sheshoon oreaaneeakhta) - a sing-song
craic agus cuideachta(crack agis cudgeakhta) - fun and good company