The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #5387   Message #30940
Posted By: Martin Ryan.
17-Jun-98 - 03:44 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Where the Blarney Roses Grow
Subject: RE: Lyr Req. Blarney Roses
Penguin Dictionary of Historical Slang gives "scran" with a number of meanings - mostly referring to food, as Mick suggests above.

It then speicifally glosses "bad scran to " as follows:
"Bad luck to! Anglo-Irish colloquialism; from ca. 1840."

Can't say I've ever heard it in practice - in or out of the song.

Regards.