Irish Pennant

[creagdhubh]

I am a little confused, after a 30 year career in the Canadian military, retiring as a Warrant Officer my job on parade was to be extremely critical of any Irish Pennants. This evening my wonderful Ancient MacDougall kilt arrived from John at Keltoi.The first thing apparent were the threads, are they then Scottish Pennants ???
Attachment 11326

Hahaha! Well said! You just brought me right back to my days in the U.S. Marine Corps. We could actually buy Irish Pennant scissors on base, which were specially made for cutting loose threads, both large and small, on our uniforms. They were extremely sharp, but with short, stout little blades. I really wish I brought a few of them home with me once I was Honourably Discharged. Hmmm...maybe the Marine Corps Annex has an online store?

Cheers,

[Riverkilt]

God help me I still keep butane lighters at hand just for burning off Irish Pennants. Its like an obsession for me...I can't stand them. Burn them off t-shirts where the arm holes are and on the waist and neck where the seam joins...a very compulsive habit....on buttons too....always on kilts....

Suppose it goes back to my days in the Cub Scouts with a paramilitary den mother, and scouting and service after....no, please....don't talk to me about the gig line. I'm obsessed with that too....

And BREN....none of us had the guts to approach the guy wearing his kilt with the basting still in. Figured it'd be so embarrassing to him was better to let him be....

[creagdhubh]

Found them! I can order them direct from Sgt Grit! Woo hoo! No more Singer scissors on my Highland attire now!

[sailortats]

An irish pennant in the Navy was always a loose line in the rigging or the individual threads from the end of a line. Just the same as what Jock Scot5 mentions. It could also refer to the frayed ends of a flag or pennant.

[creagdhubh]

God help me I still keep butane lighters at hand just for burning off Irish Pennants. Its like an obsession for me...I can't stand them. Burn them off t-shirts where the arm holes are and on the waist and neck where the seam joins...a very compulsive habit....on buttons too....always on kilts....

Oh, I'm definitely the same way...with all my clothing!

Semper Fidelis,

[Carlo]

And BREN....none of us had the guts to approach the guy wearing his kilt with the basting still in. Figured it'd be so embarrassing to him was better to let him be....

I'm not likely to go out like this, but if I were I would be happy if someone'd let me know.
It's not that embarrassing if you are new to the kilt to make misstakes. It'll be way more embarrassing if someone tells him after he had it on like that for several times.

[Father Bill]

Well, I was unfamiliar with the term (which I will now add to my lexicon) but I've always had a nut-case obsession with getting rid of them. I hate the way they come out of machine-stitched buttons in particular. My Swiss Army scissors are always sharpened and ready for my own or my friends' loose ones.

Wonder about the etymology of the term!

[Carlo]

Wonder about the etymology of the term!

I found this link which sounds like it to me.

[Nathan]

I found this link which sounds like it to me.

I agree with the article. This slang amounts to an ethnic slur against the Irish. I think it ought to be relegated to the dustbin of history. My unit never used this phrase. We called them..."threads". ;)

I always preferred a lighter for dealing with them over a pair of scizzors, although I keep a pair of snips like the ones Kyle posted in my tackle box. They're perfect for cutting fishing line.

[Father Bill]

Well, then it moves from the "active" to the "passive" vocabulary. I guess it goes along with "Dutch wife" and "French kissing." Lots more of those out there where this one came from!



Now back to your regularly scheduled discussion on loose threads and we'll let this loose "thread" return whence I took it!