wigs on the green

smileygal

Hi,
Does anybody know what the phrase 'there'll be wigs on the green' means?
and the origin?

zAbbo

when tempers start to fly the wigs will be thrown down on stephens green.

Its an irish expression

smileygal

Is it to do with barristers'/judges' wigs or just from 18th century when all the wealthy wore wigs?
I first came across it in Angela's Ashes/ 'Tis by Frank McCourt but no-one in my family/friends were familiar with it at all.

Eoin

Here we go - from this site:

[Q] From Joanne Hassett, Ireland: “Do you know what the phrase wigs on the green means?”
[A] It’s an intriguing expression that’s still to be heard from time to time, though it’s seriously out of fashion, just like the wigs it mentions.
Wigs on the green refers to a fight, brawl or fracas, or to a difference of opinion that could lead to fisticuffs. It often appears as “there’ll be wigs on the green”, as a warning (or a prediction) that an altercation is likely to occur. It’s originally Irish, dating from the eighteenth century, when men usually wore wigs. If a fight started, the first thing that happened was that the wigs of those involved would be knocked off and would roll incongruously about on the grass, to the amusement of bystanders and the embarrassment of participants.
I can’t leave an Irish expression without quoting James Joyce. From Chapter 13 of Ulysses: “But Tommy said he wanted the ball and Edy told him no that baby was playing with the ball and if he took it there’d be wigs on the green but Tommy said it was his ball and he wanted his ball and he pranced on the ground, if you please”.

smileygal

Thanks Eoin.

Eoin

no worries - you can probably tell it was a slow day at work...

smileygal

well at least you did something constructive with the slow day!

have just checked out worldwidewords www - fatal addiction within 5 minutes! :eek:

will have to ration it...

gregos

That's a compelling explanation, but it's also a little more prosaic than the explanation I heard as a child. I thought it had to do with the French revolution: when the aristocracy knelt beneath the guillotine, their wigs fell off.

smileygal

Sounds plausible enough, but would that include the 'green'? I thought it was done on the streets.

..off to have a look..

smileygal

..nothing...but shocked to read that the guillotine was last used in France in 1977!! :eek:

Khannie

I was told a different version (though entirely plausible)

In days of yore, there were travelling courts in Ireland. Justice was dispensed on the local green by men in wigs. Hence "there'll be wigs on the green" meaning there'll be trouble.

Love this phrase though. My mother still uses it.

smileygal

Now that does make sense

DrLecter

There is actually another explanation.

It could also be written as "Whigs on the green", referring to the Whig party, or Tories.

In this case the phrase would be used in the same manner as "and pigs might fly", .ie. "There will be Whigs on the green before that happens!"

stoneill

Whigs on the green -
As a form of protest the Whig party would abandon parliament buildings and go and form a group on the lawn outside westminister.

Oldbill

This expression dates from 18th century when most men wore wigs, periwigs or perukes. If they had a disagreement and decided to have a fistfight on the village green they would take off their wigs before commencement, as otherwise they would slip down over their eyes.

neil_hosey

There's a verse in a great irish song called "The Limerick Rake" that uses this expression.
just thought I would share.

"This old cow can be milked without clover or grass,
For she's pampered with barley, sweet corn and the hops.
She'll be warm, she'll be stout, she'll be free in her paps,
And she'll milk without spancil or halter.
The man that will drink it will cock his caubeen,
And if anyone laughs there'll be wigs on the green,
And the feeble old hag will get supple and free,
Agus fágaimíd siúd mar atá sé."