sb. and int. Anglo-Irish. Also ullagoane, ullaghone, ul(l)agon, hullagone, ullagawn, ulican. [ad. Ir. Gael. olagón, ologán, olagán, of imitative origin.] A cry of lamentation, a wail; spec. a funeral lament. Also as int.
1828. T. C. Croker, Fairy Leg. & Tradit. S. Irel., II. 191. I heard the dismallest ullagoane in the world, enough to break any one’s heart. Ibid., 236. Oh ullagone, ullagone! this is a wide world.
1845. Mrs. S. C. Hall, Whiteboy, v. A scream—loud and long—as of a woman in bitter trouble; it was, in fact, a ‘keen,’ a regular ‘ullagawn.’
1901. W. Barry, Wizard’s Knot, 219 (E.D.D.). It was a dirge, an ulagón, over Cathal, and his ruined walls.
Hence ǁ Ullagone v. intr., to wail or lament loudly.
1828. T. C. Croker, Fairy Leg. & Tradit. S. Irel., II. 76. Then the poor woman began to cry and ullagoane so finely that it would do any one good to hear her.
