LAST NIGHT’S SEASON 2 Catastrophe opener showed that the world outside Ireland struggles when faced with a challenge like a baby called ‘Muireann’.
You’re not alone Muireanns of the world.
In no particular order, the hardest Irish names to have abroad…
1. Mairéad
“Mermaid?… er… Marmalade? Nice to meet you.”
2. Róisín
You either get Roy-zin, which sounds like a wood stain, or Raisin, which is just one step up from Mermaid, to be honest.
3. Padraig/Paraic
“Come on in, Pad Rag”
“Ah Baldrick, I didn’t see you there”
“Podderick to reception please”
4. Muireann
As last night’s Catastrophe demonstrated, Muireann is a tongue Twister for anyone not of the old sod. And maybe Scotland. They have Muireanns in Scotland too.
5. Doireann
And you thought Muireann had it bad?
6. Ciarán
Karen.
Chee-arin.
See-are-ran.
Sauron.
Just some of the injustices suffered by our Ciaráns.
7. Aoife
“No it’s EE-FA. No I’m not winding you up”.
8. Gráinne
Grainy. Always Grainy.
9. Sadhbh
So many Hs. So many consonants. Nobody ever stood a chance.
10. Oisín
Your name is now Ocean. Congrats.
11. Meadhbh
It’s the Sadhbh conundrum all over again. Even the relatively simple ‘Maeve’ causes untold problems.
12. Odhran
What is it with Ireland and it’s obsession with Ds and Hs being so cosy?
13. Siobhán
See Yo Ban.
14. Sinéad
You can understand their confusion. Where the blazes is the H coming out of?
15. Bláithnaid
Inspiration for the greatest Starbucks blunder of all time:
16. Niamh
“Yes, the H is in the right place”.
17. Ruaidhri
It’s OBVIOUSLY Rurr-ee. GOD!
18. Tadhg
Tyke. Close enough.
All images: Irish Starbucks Names on Instagram
Which ones did we miss? Let us know in the comments. Signed, ‘Emmer’.
