THERE'LL BE WIGS ON THE GREEN

Posted by ESC on April 03, 2001

In Reply to: THERE'LL BE WIGS ON THE GREEN posted by Gary Martin on April 03, 2001

: : MY MOTHER OFTEN USED TO USE AN EXPRESSION WHICH SHE SAYS WAS POPULAR IN THE AREA SHE WAS BORN IN
: : (MARKETHILL,NORTHERN IRELAND).SHE EMPLOYED IT TO MEAN "THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY" OR "THE S**T WILL HIT THE FAN".I ALWAYS HAD A VISION OF TWO PEOPLE SQUABBLING AND PULLING EACH OTHERS HAIR OUT OR WHIPPING THE WIGS OFF THEIR OPPONENT.ANY TIME I USE IN THE TOWN I HAVE LIVED IN ALL MY LIFE, WHICH IS AS CLOSE AS 20 MILES TO MY MUMS HOMETOWN,IT IS ALWAYS RECEIVED WITH BLANK EXPRESSIONS.
: : I MUST ADD THAT THE EXPRESSION COULD ACTUALLY BE POLLITICALLY RELATED AD ACTUALLY BE "THERE'LL BE WHIGS ON THE GREEN" BUT TO BE HONEST I WOULD BE SHOCKED IF THE SOURCE WOULD BE THE POLLITICAL AREA BASED ON ITS LOCALE.
: : IF YOU HAVE HEARD THIS EXPRESSION BEFORE PLEASE LET ME KNOW.IF YOU KNOW THE ORIGN EVEN BETTER!IF YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD IT BEFORE PLEASE USE IT.THE MENTAL IMAGE OF TWO BEER-GUTTED FIFTY-SOMETHINGS PULLING THE TOUPES OFF EACH OTHER IS MUCH MORE FUN THAN PICTURING EXCRETIA SPLATTERING AGAINST A FAST MOVING BLADE!
: :
: Kyle,

: It is wigs rather than whigs. It is Irish in origin but isn't in wide use any longer; as you suggested. I suppose there aren't many periwigs or whigs around these days. The allusion is to a fight, vigorous enough to make the participants' wigs fall off.

: Gary Martin

It sounds like the more grisly saying: "There will be blood and hair on the walls." (Sorry about that.)Or "heads will roll."