spalpeen
/spalˈpiːn
/noun Irish
A rascal.The two spalpeens laughed and dodged through traffic to the opposite side of the narrow street....
- The spalpeen attempted to resist the officers of the law, and we clubbed him over the head a bit.
- In the later 19th century spalpeens were most commonly employed as potato diggers.
Origin
Late 18th century (denoting a migratory farm worker): from Irish spailpín, of unknown origin.