sidewalk alumni
n.pl.— «People said he liked green because we’re Irish, but actually he was, and is, a Notre Dame red-hot, one of the well-known sidewalk alumni. Notre Dame’s colors are kelly green and gold, and that was Charlie’s inspiration.» —“Baseball Will Return to the Drab in 1987″ by Art Rosenbaum San Francisco Chronicle Oct. 15, 1986. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Is Murphy’s Law, or the idea that “anything that can go wrong will go wrong,” a slur against the Irish? This is part of a complete episode.
Related
Rowan in Ottawa, Ontario, says her Irish mom used a puzzling word to indicate a sort of restless discontent not caused by anything in particular. It may be neamhchinnte, which means “uncertain” or “indecisive.” This is part...