numbers—issues.
tea-cosy—a knitted or padded cover placed over a teapot to keep the contents hot.
hearing the four pages of Roman History—supervising a class in Latin translation.
michin—(slang) playing hooky.
coping—the top layer of a masonry wall, usually sloped to carry off water.
pipeclayed—whitened with pipe clay, a white, plastic clay used for making clay tobacco pipes or pottery; possibly a foreshadowing of “Clay,” a later Dubliners story.
mall—a street on the south side of Dublin’s Royal Canal.
air—a song or tune.
to have some gas with—(slang) to have fun with.
Vitriol Works—a north Dublin chemical factory.
Swaddlers! Swaddlers!—Dublin slang for Protestants.
cricket—a game associated by the Irish with the English conquest of their country.
Smoothing Iron—a bathing place on Dublin Bay’s north side.
right skit—(slang) great fun.
jerry hat—a stiff felt hat.
totties—(slang) girlfriends.
josser—(slang) fellow; guy.
