411 REFERENCE · Wiktionary
McAlpine's Fusiliers
Reference material by Wiktionary contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
English
Etymology
After Sir Robert McAlpine, a major employer of Irish workmen, and (possibly) the military appearance of a group of men with shovels over their shoulders.
Noun
p McAlpine's Fusiliers
en Ireland UK informal The Irish immigrant labour force in Britain in the early 20th century.
en 2006 Kevin Noble Baghdad Trucker Northern Writers Durham 92 He'd left his homeland at fifteen, seeking his fortune on the motorways of Britain with McAlpine's Fusiliers before migrating to Sydney.
Usage notes
The term was popularized by the 1960s Dubliners song of the same name.
en eponyms