Hibees - Who Coined This Phrase?

An interesting aside to Terry Wogan's excellent personal insight into Ireland was the name of a bar he visited in Cork. It was called "The Hi-B".

I had always thought that this name, which I take to be a contraction of Hibernian, had originated in Scotland because of our football club.

Would I be right in thinking that Irish people have long called themselves "Hi-B's" and that the name Hibs comes from this rather than shortening Hibernian?

Any information or citations I can follow up would be gratefully appreciated.

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Originally Posted by Filled Rolls

An interesting aside to Terry Wogan's excellent personal insight into Ireland was the name of a bar he visited in Cork. It was called "The Hi-B".

I had always thought that this name, which I take to be a contraction of Hibernian, had originated in Scotland because of our football club.

Would I be right in thinking that Irish people have long called themselves "Hi-B's" and that the name Hibs comes from this rather than shortening Hibernian?

Any information or citations I can follow up would be gratefully appreciated.

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Not sure if this is helpful, but through in the west where there a few Hibernians clubs (like the Orange clubs, I think), the members tend to call them the Hibs clubs.

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

Not sure if this is helpful, but through in the west where there a few Hibernians clubs (like the Orange clubs, I think), the members tend to call them the Hibs clubs.

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There's quite an interesting display in the National Museum in Chambers Street with a green sash, or am I thinking of the Knights?

Andy Gray ?

Sorry , my mistake, he talked about the burd's not the bee's

We were originally 'the H aye bernians' in pronunciation, then 'H aye bernians' before we were known as 'H aye bernian'. So High bee is a shortening of that. 'The Hibs' was a short version of Hayebernian, I suppose cos the ' Hibes' sounds daft!!!

The first reference to Hibs as the Hi-Bs (hibees) I know of is a 1900 postcard annotated "Play up Hi-Bs" however the press referred to "the Hibs" much earlier.

I don't think the term Hibs could be from an Irish origin as the press referred to "the Edinburgh Hibernians" for many years prior to referring to "the Hibs" around the same time they started referring to "the Hearts" as distinct from The Heart of Mid Lothian, or ****s.

I have records of the early media references to "the Hibs" somewhere on my computer and I'll search for the earliest and get back to you.

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Originally Posted by Aubenas

We were originally 'the H aye bernians' in pronunciation, then 'H aye bernians' before we were known as 'H aye bernian'. So High bee is a shortening of that. 'The Hibs' was a short version of Hayebernian, I suppose cos the ' Hibes' sounds daft!!!

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Interesting, and I don't doubt what you say.

Being a Latin scholar :cool2:.... the original pronunciation is with the short I. The Latin name for Ireland, but also from the Latin word for winter. The Romans believed that they had found the place where winter comes from.

Earliest record I have found of "The Hibs" is in the Scotrsman report on the game against Vale of Leven on 14th May 1881

Attachment 7151

Yep. Most common use of the word here would have been in the Ancient Order of Hibernians, (short i) which I seem to recall were sometimes referred to as The Hibs. Perhaps it just came from that. I do notice that older folk, say Lawrie Reilly or even Pat Stanton, usually refer to 'The Hibs', as some in the west talk of The Celtic or The Rangers. Fashions change I suppose. You hear Hibbee and Highbee equally I guess. Interesting though.

Deadly serious - my Great Uncle reckons he did. He was working in the BBC and would often ask his Hibs supporting mate (he's an East Fife fan) how the "Hibees" were getting on. He claims to have not heard this at all before he started using it. No idea if it's true or not, my Scottish side of the family are all Weegies so I've no Edinburgh blood. :cool2:

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

Not sure if this is helpful, but through in the west where there a few Hibernians clubs (like the Orange clubs, I think), the members tend to call them the Hibs clubs.

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I think they are a bit different to the Orange clubs:wink: the Ancient Order of Hibernians is what they are,more related to the Knights of Columba

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Originally Posted by monktonharp

I think they are a bit different to the Orange clubs:wink: the Ancient Order of Hibernians is what they are,more related to the Knights of Columba

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:greengrin I do know that. I was saying that in the sense that it's another one of those mystical weegie conventions that us fluffy liberals in the east just don't understand.

there is still a pub in Cork called the Hibernian bar,2 clubs in Cork merged into Cork city fc, were named Cork Hibernian+Cork Celtic, also was a pub in the Coo'gate called the Hibernian bar near Niddry street ifaik,next to the excelsior Dancehall, for all you auld yins to correct me........i'm full of useless information,according to the wife:greengrin

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Originally Posted by CropleyWasGod

:greengrin I do know that. I was saying that in the sense that it's another one of those mystical weegie conventions that us fluffy liberals in the east just don't understand.

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speak for yersel:greengrin

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Originally Posted by Filled Rolls

An interesting aside to Terry Wogan's excellent personal insight into Ireland was the name of a bar he visited in Cork. It was called "The Hi-B".

I had always thought that this name, which I take to be a contraction of Hibernian, had originated in Scotland because of our football club.

Would I be right in thinking that Irish people have long called themselves "Hi-B's" and that the name Hibs comes from this rather than shortening Hibernian?

Any information or citations I can follow up would be gratefully appreciated.

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I saw this prog too and thoroughly enjoyed it. Seeing the Hi-B pub made me regret not getting to Cork when the Hibs were over there a few years back. I only made it to the 2 games in Dublin (St Pat's & Shamrock Rovers) - had a great time though.
Cant throw any light on the shortening of Hibernian, I'm afraid, but I'll check through my archives.:wink: Another aspect which seems strange to me, is although the 's' was dropped from the Club's name in 1891/92, they continued to be referred to regularly in the press, as the Hibernians well into the 1950's.

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Originally Posted by The Harp

I saw this prog too and thoroughly enjoyed it. Seeing the Hi-B pub made me regret not getting to Cork when the Hibs were over there a few years back. I only made it to the 2 games in Dublin (St Pat's & Shamrock Rovers) - had a great time though.
Cant throw any light on the shortening of Hibernian, I'm afraid, but I'll check through my archives.:wink: Another aspect which seems strange to me, is although the 's' was dropped from the Club's name in 1891/92, they continued to be referred to regularly in the press, as the Hibernians well into the 1950's.

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In match programme for our home match against Barcelona in early 1960s it says Hibernians I think so presumably that was normal for the time . At that time ( pre Internet and "Economy flights" by a long time ) we had a lot of supporters in Ireland who knew about the club - the reasons why we don`t / didn`t build on that support have been mentioned here before for better or worse .

I was told this as a boy in the fifties.
During and/or just after World War II, there was a United States Air Force Station at Kirkliston.
Most of the American servicemen became Hibs fans (Famous Five Times!).
With their huge fondness for nicknames they came up with Hi-Bees.
Older people in those days used to say they never heard the team called Hi-Bees until the Yanks started it.
But who really knows?

Not a huge amount of help but see my Avatar which is a photo of a poster in the SFA museum at Hampden saying "Play up Hi-B's". Unfortunately dont have a date for this.
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The conclusion seems to be growing that Hibees as a word was invented to describe the football team. How come there are these bars in Ireland that have nothing to do with us? I get the impression that it was a term in use in Ireland first.

I thought The Hi-Bee was a coffee bar in Leith Walk during the fifties where the locals popped purple hearts, smoked reefers and listened to jive music on the juke box.

Hence the term "High Bees".:cool2:

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Originally Posted by heretoday

I thought The Hi-Bee was a coffee bar in Leith Walk during the fifties where the locals popped purple hearts, smoked reefers and listened to jive music on the juke box.

Hence the term "High Bees".:cool2:

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That place sounded great!

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Originally Posted by monktonharp

there is still a pub in Cork called the Hibernian bar,2 clubs in Cork merged into Cork city fc, were named Cork Hibernian+Cork Celtic, also was a pub in the Coo'gate called the Hibernian bar near Niddry street ifaik,next to the excelsior Dancehall, for all you auld yins to correct me........i'm full of useless information,according to the wife:greengrin

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your spot on with the coogate wullie, so is the mrs though.:wink:

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Originally Posted by Filled Rolls

There's quite an interesting display in the National Museum in Chambers Street with a green sash, or am I thinking of the Knights?

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Aye not seen that for years but from what I remember it's an AoH sash