Grannymar

Ballymena Haigh!

February 3, 2009 at 6:43 am · Filed under Uncategorized

Outside in, or inside out? An image from my vist to Ballymena on 19th January. It was taken in the Fairhill Shopping Centre.

‘Ballymena Haigh!’ is a phrase I have often heard over the years. I am hoping that Nelly, Hannah or Hails might explain what exactly it means.

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21 Comments »

Hails said,

February 3, 2009 at 8:24 am

I don’t think it means anything, to be honest!

People make fun of our accent. And if someone has a very broad Ballymena accent, they tend to say “hi!” or “hey!” at the end of a sentence. Any sentence. No reason. Maybe it’s to draw attention to an observation? “It’s a great day, hi!” “You’re lookin’ well, hey!” Hmm. Maybe. Although it seems to me to be as pointless as the more general Norn Irish “so it is” at the end of every sentence!

Anyway, there was a TV advert in the late 80s or early 90s for the Fairhill Centre, where your photo was taken. They took advantage of this already semi-famous phrase and coined the catchphrase “It’s a big shoppin’ centre in Ballymena, hi!”. It gets quoted at anyone who says they’re from Ballymena, and we have to smile politely or laugh like we’ve never heard it before.

I was settling into my dorm in a youth hostel in a remote village in Hu ngary last summer, when a young member of staff came in with some bed linen. We did the small talk, and he asked where exactly in Ireland I was from. You can imagine how bizarre I found it when he grinned and replied, “Big shoppin’ centre in Ballymena, hi!”…! There’s no escaping it, clearly.
Nick said,

February 3, 2009 at 9:51 am

The most extreme example of that sort of thing is, as you may know, the Lloyds Insurance building in London. It’s actually known as the Inside-Out building because all the services such as staircases, lifts, electrical conduits and water pipes are on the outside. Pretty weird.

Ballymena Haigh? Search me. But then, I’m just a blow-in….
steph said,

February 3, 2009 at 10:02 am

Haigh Grannymar

When I think of a northern accent, I hear “Aye” nor “Haigh”

Have I had it wrong all these years?
Grannymar said,

February 3, 2009 at 12:06 pm

@Hails - I thought you would come to the rescue.

@Nick - Alas, you and I will be blow-ins forever…..

@Steph - You may well be correct, afterall I am known for my ba spelling!
Magpie11 said,

February 3, 2009 at 12:10 pm

Downside up?

Lloyds building….ugly as heck!

Hope all are surviving the snow in the B!s…here people seem to have discovered some thing new…walking!
steph said,

February 3, 2009 at 12:28 pm

“afterall I am known for my ba spelling!”

I’m trying really hard not to laugh
Grannymar said,

February 3, 2009 at 12:33 pm

Steph,

You thought I was joking!
Nelly said,

February 3, 2009 at 12:56 pm

It’s adman toodle. Nobody, but nobody, actually says it unless they’re living in a time-warp on the foothills of Slemish.

And I’m actually from Antrim (rural).
Nancy said,

February 3, 2009 at 1:43 pm

Grannymar,

I always thought Bali Ha’i was a song from South Pacific. When Bloody Mary sang about her special island,I thought she meant Ireland…..

Bali Ha’i may call you,
Any night, any day,
In your heart, you’ll hear it call you:
“Come away…Come away.”

Bali Ha’i will whisper
In the wind of the sea:
“Here am I, your special island!
Come to me, come to me!”
Grannymar said,

February 3, 2009 at 2:34 pm

@Nelly - I thought as much, but being a blow-in I needed confirmation.

@Nancy - Aye! You might have something there. Mind you our weather at the moment is not very Desert Island..ish!
wisewebwoman said,

February 3, 2009 at 3:52 pm

No offence GM, but your pic looks like the inside of a milking shed.
With no haigh in sight.
XO
WWW
Grannymar said,

February 3, 2009 at 4:04 pm

WWW,

That is modern day design in Norn Iron!
Baino said,

February 3, 2009 at 7:28 pm

Haigh? Sounds like something off Lolcatz. Our contry folk tend to put ‘ey at the end of there sentences!
Grannymar said,

February 3, 2009 at 7:56 pm

Baino,
d@\/e said,

February 3, 2009 at 8:35 pm

Is the word ‘haigh’ Ulster Scots for ‘hey’ or ‘hag’?. Now about Ballymena hags
Grannymar said,

February 3, 2009 at 9:04 pm

D@\/e,

I think we will go with ‘hey’!
Darlene said,

February 3, 2009 at 9:15 pm

I had the same thought as Nancy - Bally Hi, Bally Ha’i. It’s all the same to me.
Grannymar said,

February 3, 2009 at 9:42 pm

Darlene,

How about you and Nancy singing a duet of Bali Ha’ for us?
Nancy said,

February 3, 2009 at 11:33 pm

Ok Darlene, On Three:

A One

A TWo

A Three

Bali Ha’i may call you
Any night, any day

DARLENE!!!!! I can’t go through with this. Even for Grannymar.. I am a dreadful singer. If I could find the key I would go to my room!
Darlene said,

February 3, 2009 at 11:40 pm

Nancy, you are probably an alto and I am too. So a duet is out. Beside, since getting my implant I probably sing off key. Sob!

So sorry, Grannymar, we just can’t do it. How about a slow waltz?
Grannymar said,

February 4, 2009 at 9:24 am

Nancy & Darlene, Gold stars for trying!