Beaver Island History - Helen Collar Papers

Names (Personal)

[See also "Gaelic Language"]

The use of "white" as a term of endearment is at least as old as the 15th century. As an Irish colloquialism it may have been influenced by Irish "ban" (white), which is similarly used.
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Nicknames -
"Sockidy" Rickster "Ropa Docha" (burnt rope)
"Willie-so-Quick" Rickster Paddy Heela (his wife's name was Heela) -
(always says when asked to this must be wrong - his wife was
do a job, "Yes, I will do it Bridget Paganog
so quick."
Shabby Town Rd. (must be Patty Bocha McCauley (must be Paddy
Angeline's Bluff) Baca)
Dominic Gallagher - "the long one" "Bowery" once said he wished he was back
"Pidgie" (chased by a pigeon when a in the Bowery (Pat's story is better)
child & ran to her mother, calling Dunmores, whose family came from that
"pidgie, pidgie") county in Ire. (there is no such county in
Owen (Dominic's brother) - "the Ireland; this must be the Don Mors)
black fellow" "Salty," whose sire was a salt-water sailor
Peter (another brother) - "the white (wrong)
fellow" "Brine" - a brother of Dunmore (this must
"Philippine," so called because he Brian)
had sailed in the Philippines (I
question this)
Harlem & Doney were in competition
as to who was the best clog-dancer
on the Island

- J. Gordon Heckler, in the Milwaukee Journal, Jan. 10, 1932