Wigs on the Green

Dummy

I have come across the expression "The wigs will be on the green" in a number of books and I take it to mean that there is trouble looming.

Does anyone know the origins of this expression? I came across it again last night reading Tim Pat Coogans book on Michael Collins.

Phibsboro

google says...

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-wig1.htm

never heard it used myself have to say.

Dummy

That's an interesting website - thank you for that. I know I'm going to spend hours there looking up other sayings.

Thank you again. Take care.

smileygal

there's a thread on this in the English forum, with possible meaning suggestions.

Woof!

that was my old physics teachers favourite expression! althought some of us argue that he once said there'll be scalps on the lawn!

but, according to him... when the indians (native americans) scalped a person they left it out on the field for the blood to dry in/off.... thats the best way i can think of explainin it!

good aul mr. mchugh the farmer from leitrim

Wolff

Native americans didnt scalp - bounty hunters employed by the French and English started te whole scalping

The term derives from duelling where the two men removed the wigs prior to a duel - hence the whole trouble looming bit

test pilot

Dummy wrote:

I have come across the expression "The wigs will be on the green" in a number of books and I take it to mean that there is trouble looming.

Does anyone know the origins of this expression? I came across it again last night reading Tim Pat Coogans book on Michael Collins.

The expression 'wigs on the green' has been some what corrupted over the years. The 'wigs' bit should read 'Whigs'. The whigs were a political party, like you would have the Tories and Labour and so on. The reference to 'The Green' was to College Green, which is where the original seat of Parlament was- Bank of Ireland. So the expression was like saying -there will be trouble if the Whigs get into power!

Hope this helps.:D

Mick86

I often heard that expression from my Grandmother when I was a child. The wigs should be Whigs but where exactly the Green was is another matter...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Rullion_Green

brianthebard

test pilot wrote:

The expression 'wigs on the green' has been some what corrupted over the years. The 'wigs' bit should read 'Whigs'. The whigs were a political party, like you would have the Tories and Labour and so on. The reference to 'The Green' was to College Green, which is where the original seat of Parlament was- Bank of Ireland. So the expression was like saying -there will be trouble if the Whigs get into power!

Hope this helps.:D

I had heard a similar story, but it referred to the American Whig party and the election of a President (Grant, I think). At the inauguration there was much merriment til people got rowdy and started fighting, hence Whigs on the green.