Old Paint: What's a hoolian?

Subject: RE: Old Paint: What's a hoolian?
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 22 Nov 99 - 05:55 PM

I have no idea whether this helps, but a young group of muso's from Melbourne known as "The Hooligans" recently toured Ireland. They were told that the term 'hooligan' - otherwise described as a ruffian or thug - was derived from the Irish name of Houlihan, presumably because one or more of that family were synonymous with rough behaviour. Regards, John

Subject: RE: Old Paint: What's a hoolian?
From: kendall
Date: 22 Nov 99 - 04:27 PM

I once had a boss who had "ridden the rods" and insisted that to dance the Houlahan meant to get stupid drunk and cavort in the street. he also explained what a "wangdoodle" was.( a Salvation Army worker) a bindle was a bed roll etc.

Subject: RE: Old Paint: What's a hoolian?
From: Les B
Date: 22 Nov 99 - 01:42 PM

I've seen and heard lots of discussion about those terms over the years. Here's my two bits worth: From my dad and my uncles who were pretty good cowboys, they implied that the holihan was a type of loop, and deft throw, that was used when roping horses. When you've got a corral full of circling horses just wrangled (gathered) early in the morning, they're pretty skittish -- especially if you're working in a temporary round-up corral that is just one waist-high rope stretched though iron stakes. Consequently, rather than making a big loop and using a flailing, swishing sounding swing, which would excite the horses even more, the cowboys developed a "horse loop" that is a short, smooth, overhand toss with a hole in the rope just big enough for a horse's head. I believe this is the "holihan". As for firey and snuffy, I always assumed those were the typical western jargon for the emotional state of the horses and/or the cattle. Horses and cows regularly "snort" loudly (and fart, too) when excited or disturbed. If you've ever had a mad cow blow snot in your face, the term "snuffy" fits ! Firey means high-strung, or nervous, which fits the line "The firey & snuffy were rarin' to go".

Subject: RE: Old Paint: What's a hoolian?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 22 Nov 99 - 12:07 PM

The branding theory sounds good,garg.

Subject: RE: Old Paint: What's a hoolian?
From: _gargoyle
Date: 22 Nov 99 - 12:00 PM

Mea Culpa!!!!

Just realized that the above section of "forgotten verse" is drawn from "Get Along Little Dogies"...

Subject: RE: Old Paint: What's a hoolian?
From: _gargoyle
Date: 22 Nov 99 - 11:52 AM

I've taken firey to refer to the hot coals of the branding fire and snuffy to refer to the branding iron used on those coals. ie. the branding iron creates a "snuff of smoke" such as would stream up from a "snuffed out candle-wick." This would also apply using a missing verse, "Its early in the Spring when we round up the dogies....and brand 'em, and clip 'em, and bob off their tails."

Subject: RE: Old Paint: What's a hoolian?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 22 Nov 99 - 01:51 AM

Thanks Art. I found the older thread, and the definition of "throwing the hoolian" as using a small-looped lasso to rope a steer sounds good, especially when coupled with the jargon-meaning of the phrase to the cowboy of painting the town red. How about Firey and Snuffy? My guess would be the lead steer and the trailing cowhand in a drive.

Subject: RE: Old Paint: What's a hoolian?
From:
Date: 22 Nov 99 - 01:17 AM

Se older thread 'paint'

Subject: RE: Old Paint: What's a hoolian?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 22 Nov 99 - 01:15 AM

It's a rope called a "hoolihan".

An "old Dan" is probably a "dun" colored horse---a mottled lightish brown --- like it's been tie-dyed. (See the old cowboy son "THE ZEBRA DUN".

Art

Subject: Old Paint: What's a hoolian?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 22 Nov 99 - 01:09 AM

One of my favorite songs of the Old West is Old Paint, but I've alway been puzzled by some of the references. Here are the lyrics...

OLD PAINT

I ride an old paint,I lead an old Dan
I'm goin to Montan' for to throw the hoolian
They feed in the coulees, they water in the draw
Their tails are all matted, and their backs are all raw
Ride around, ya little dogies, ride around slow
For the Firey and Snuffy are rarin' to go

Old Bill Jones had a daughter and a son
One went to college, and the other went wrong
His wife she died in a pool-room fight
And still he keeps singing from morning to night
Ride around(repeat)

When I die, take my saddle from the wall
Lead me down to my pony, take him out of the stall
Put my bones on his back, point our faces to West
And we'll ride the Prairie that we love the best
Ride around(repeat)

Now, I would guess from the context that an "old Dan" is a mule. But what's a hoolian? And how about "the Firey and the Snuffy"?

Thanks in advance, LEJ