Irish informal term for someone who is excessively, almost ostentatiously pious — the kind of person who attends every church service, quotes scripture in casual conversation, and judges others' moral choices from a great height.
Irish informal term for someone who is excessively, almost ostentatiously pious — the kind of person who attends every church service, quotes scripture in casual conversation, and judges others' moral choices from a great height. 'Holy Mary' has a definite critical edge to it; it's not a compliment. It suggests performative religiosity rather than genuine faith. The phrase is deeply embedded in Irish Catholic culture, where suspicion of over-the-top holiness is practically a social tradition.
Don't invite her — she's a bit of a Holy Mary and will spend the whole night disapproving of everyone.
Add your own interpretation of "Holy Mary".
Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
Browse all slang words starting with H.
(blasphemous, chiefly, _, Irish) An expression of disgust, annoyance or disappointment.
Holy shamoley is a humorous, family-friendly exclamation of shock, surprise, or amazement. It's the kind of expression that flies out when something unexpected happens and you want to convey genuine astonishment without swearing. The phrase has a slightly goofy, retro feel — part of a long tradition of colourful nonsense-word interjections that keep speech lively without offending anyone. You'll hear it from comedians, parents, and anyone who enjoys language that sounds as surprised as it is.
(slang, humorous) An expression of surprise.
(informal, sometimes pejorative) A man who is sanctimonious, or at least heavily religious, also one who is extremely pious.
No comments yet — say something.
(Ireland, informal) One who is extremely pious.
No comments yet — say something.