bawneen

English

Etymology

From Irish báinín (“(undyed) wool”), from bán (“white”) + -ín (“-een”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɔːniːn/

Noun

bawneen (countable and uncountable, plural bawneens)

1. (Ireland) Woven wool or flannel; especially undyed, unbleached wool.
   • 2001, Ann Moore, Gracelin O'Malley, Penguin, →ISBN, page 339:

     Granna's rag rug still lay on the floor near the hearth, but it was more rag than rug now, and terribly dirty beside. The bawneen curtains were gone from the window, having been used to make bedding for wee Thomsy's cradle; [...]

   • 1973, John Broderick, An apology for roses, Calder Publications Limited:

     Light flooded the small living-room, with its rope flooring, utility chairs and tables, electric storage heater, and gaudy red bawneen curtains. He made immediately for the window and pulled the curtains together with a swift furtive twitch.

2. (Ireland) A traditional Irish "Aran" sweater.
   • 2002, Writers' Week Listowel, Writers' week Listowel winners 2002, →ISBN:

     I noticed she was looking closely at my jumper. [...] I remembered a bit of folklore I'd once heard that Island women used to weave secret patterns into their husbands' fishing bawneens to warn other women they were spoken for.

3. (Ireland) A waistcoat with sleeves, typically worn by labourers and fishermen.
   • 1934, George A. Birmingham, Pleasant places:

     Out of the flannel the women made what were called bawneens for the men. A bawneen was a kind of sleeved waistcoat, buttoning up the front. Often trousers were made of this flannel, too.

   • 1985, Terence Brown, Ireland: A Social and Cultural History, 1922 to the Present, Cornell University Press, →ISBN, page 70:

     ... and trimming great quantities of single-width coarse frieze for conversion into the everlasting suits that farmers wore on Sundays, and like quantities of thick white flannel, which their wives made into sleeveless waistcoats or bawneens.