Irish Pennant

[fluter]

... No more Singer scissors on my Highland attire now!

In fact that's the same tool used by countless tailors, knitters, kiltmakers, et al.

[creagdhubh]

In fact that's the same tool used by countless tailors, knitters, kiltmakers, et al.

Wonderful! I didn't realise that. They sure are handy wee buggers.

[Nathan]

They sure are handy wee *buggers*.

In the interest of not becoming the self appointed fun police, I'll leave the etymology of that phrase alone...

[Riverkilt]

Not offended...I'm "Irish American" and they're on me....so why not Irish pennant?

When I worked all those years in the cut and sew sweat shop as a boy the inspectors at the packaging department had little sharp scissors like that. Called them nippers. They "nipped" off the loose threads. Factory went to sort of hair clipper looking things with a vacuum attached that would suck the loose threads into it and cut them...the inspectors tried the new rig but found they were a lot faster with the nippers and went back to them.

[creagdhubh]

In the interest of not becoming the self appointed fun police, I'll leave the etymology of that phrase alone...

Hahaha! I was waiting for somebody to say something...very observant there, Nathan.

[McElmurry]

In the interest of not becoming the self appointed fun police, I'll leave the etymology of that phrase alone...

Did you mean entomology?

[Father Bill]

Did you mean entomology?

Oo-o-o-o-o-o-oo!

[TheOfficialBren]

McElmery:
ZING!!


Ron: No offense.

Carlo: I'd rather be corrected right away.


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In my Civil Air Patrol squadron our First Sergeant kept a Zippo in his pocket for just such occasions. We also referred to them as "Irish pennants" or sometimes as "bomb cords." I have only heard the latter terminology used in that setting, however. I think that it was a squadron-specific phrase. I was unaware of the naval usage.

Between "Irish pennants" and "French kissing" I think that the French have the advantage.

[Zardoz]

I agree with the article. This slang amounts to an ethnic slur against the Irish. I think it ought to be relegated to the dustbin of history. My unit never used this phrase. We called them..."threads". ;)

I always preferred a lighter for dealing with them over a pair of scizzors, although I keep a pair of snips like the ones Kyle posted in my tackle box. They're perfect for cutting fishing line.

I'm surprised that given my history and ethnicity I've never heard that term, but then I was never around the Navy much.
I'd hope most any ethnic slurs ought to be relegated to the "dustbin of history". But even with all the folks here that work so hard at being offended, ethnic slurs against the Irish always seem to get a pass here on the forum.

[rlh2]

I've always called them "rip cords".