Making sure rebel-speak isn’t lost in translation, like
Innovative students at a West Cork school have developed an interactive app which translates some of Cork’s best-known slang phrases into standard English.
And tourism chiefs say the app has huge commercial potential coming just weeks before an expected surge of visitors to the city and county to take part in the Titanic’s centenary commemorations.
The group of transition year students at Mount St Michael in Rosscarbery, set up a mini-company called Local Vocal Productions, and hit on the idea for the slang app after hearing locals using phrases they had never heard outside Cork.
Their research showed loads of dictionaries, guides, books and websites of Cork slang — but no apps.
“We couldn’t believe the idea hadn’t been done before,” said company spokesman Jonathan Christy.
They approached actor and comedian Pakie O’Callaghan for help.
The former Bull Island star has helped spread the Cork accent far and wide thanks to his starring role with Frank Twomey in their Dragon’s Den-backed smash comedy Santa Ponsa or Bust.
Pakie said he was delighted to help, particularly when he heard that a percentage of the app’s sale proceeds will go towards Simon.
“I really had a tiny involvement in this. The lads really did all the leg work,” he said.
The students picked their favourite phrases and Pakie recorded them in his best Cork accent in The Music Watchtower studios in Clonakilty.
People who download the app can listen to Pakie reading the phrases in a lilting Leeside tone, before listening to an instant “English” translation.
The app, created and developed by students Austin Keane and Liam Horgan, is due to go live on the Apple App Store next week.
Pakie said he has toured the Santa Ponsa show all over Ireland and the reaction to the Cork accent is always incredible.
“People say that there is an extra dimension to the Cork accent,” he said.
“From the days of Cha and Miah, right up to Mario Rosenstock’s Roy Keane. There is definitely something about the Cork accent, and there is always a great reaction to it.
“There is a happiness underlying it. It has a real sing-along quality to it.”
* The students have developed a Local Vocal website (localvocal.ie) to showcase the app and they will be presenting the app at the ‘TY Mini Company Get Up and Go’ judging event at the Vienna Woods Hotel in Cork on Thursday.
* Up the back of Leap
Translation: In the middle of nowhere;
* Tha one is septic
Translation: That one is revolting;
* Don’t be doing the gowl
Translation: Don’t be messing about;
* Gatting
Translation: Drinking alcohol;
* She was haunted
Translation: She was lucky;
* Shove Wesht
Translation: Move over.
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