The area has plenty of unique words and phrases familiar to folk the length and breadth of the spectacular north coast from Greysteel to the Glens of Antrim.
Language is constantly evolving through the years but we’ve picked 16 ‘wheeker’ (remember that one?) words and phrases that we can call our own.
How many do you use?
. BRAVE
BRAVE - adjective meaning quite good, quite decent, quite considerable. "There's a brave few folk down on that beach at Ballycastle today" Photo: Causeway Council
. SLEEKIT
SLEEKIT - adjective meaning sly or cunning. "That's boy there's as sleekit as a fox' Photo: Pixabay
. FOUNDERED
FOUNDERED - adjective meaning 'feeling very cold'. "I took a dander round the Diamond there and I'm foundered now" Photo: Google maps
. WHEEN
WHEEN - noun meaning a quantity, a number. "Gie us a wheen o' them sweeties". Often combined with 'brave' for added effect. "There was a brave wheen o' folk down at that concert in Limavady" Photo: Causeway Coast and Glens Council
. HOUL YER WHISHT
HOUL YER WHISHT - an instruction advising another to stop talking. "Houl yer whisht, I can't hear myself think". Can also have the connotation of informing another person that you know exactly what they are talking about and that you agree. "The price of petrol is going through the roof? Ach houl yer whisht!" Photo: PIxabay
. CAME UP THE BANN IN A BUBBLE
CAME UP THE BANN IN A BUBBLE - an expression usually used as part of the question "Do you think I came up the Bann in a bubble?" or "Do I look like I came up the Bann in a bubble?" meaning "I am not as foolish as you believe me to be". Can be heard in other parts of Northern Ireland in the form "up the Lagan in a bubble" but OBVIOUSLY our version is better! Photo: Causeway Coast and Glens Council
1. SLEEKIT
SLEEKIT - adjective meaning sly or cunning. "That's boy there's as sleekit as a fox' Photo: Pixabay
2. FOUNDERED
FOUNDERED - adjective meaning 'feeling very cold'. "I took a dander round the Diamond there and I'm foundered now" Photo: Google maps
3. WHEEN
WHEEN - noun meaning a quantity, a number. "Gie us a wheen o' them sweeties". Often combined with 'brave' for added effect. "There was a brave wheen o' folk down at that concert in Limavady" Photo: Causeway Coast and Glens Council
4. HOUL YER WHISHT
HOUL YER WHISHT - an instruction advising another to stop talking. "Houl yer whisht, I can't hear myself think". Can also have the connotation of informing another person that you know exactly what they are talking about and that you agree. "The price of petrol is going through the roof? Ach houl yer whisht!" Photo: PIxabay