Which toilet would you have used?

@JudyEv (382328)

Rockingham, Australia

April 21, 2023 2:15pm CST

We visited a friend of a friend in Co. Leitrim, Ireland today. She is a nun and we parked in a carpark opposite the convent and church. There were public toilets there and, as we’d been driving for quite some time, we decided to make use of the toilets before going to see our friend’s friend. However, as you can see, it wasn’t obvious to us which was the ladies and which was the gents. We made a guess that ‘Mna’ might stand for ‘Male’ and ‘Fir’ for ‘Female’. However, the Fir toilets had urinals so we obviously go that wrong. But all is well that ends well and we have a very enjoyable visit. I also went to the toilet at the Middle Eastern restaurant. The sign on that door said ‘Toilet/Wee Wee’ which was a new one on me too!

19 people like this

21 responses

@marguicha (230349)

• Chile

21 Apr 23

I would have used the "mna" one (mother) instead of the "fir" one (father). That was my first thought. But your idea was as good as mine. I prefer the toilets with a lady in one and a man with a moustache in the other

4 people like this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

21 Apr 23

Diagrams make it so much easier.

4 people like this

@marguicha (230349)

• Chile

21 Apr 23

@JudyEv Absolutly! You can´t go wrong that way except if you are drunk

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

1 person likes this

@snowy22315 (209053)

• United States

22 Apr 23

It was in Gaelic I guess. I think I would have guessed the opposite.

2 people like this

show previous comments

@snowy22315 (209053)

• United States

22 Apr 23

@JudyEv Yeah, I am sure you can buy some guides in the store too. You could study them in Australia in any down time, and become a Gaelic expert when you go back or at least know which bathroom to use..

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

@snowy22315 I didn't start to learn Irish on Duolingo but didn't keep it up.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

Yes, it's Gaelic. Knowing the Gaelic for men and women will be compulsory next trip! lol

2 people like this

Show more comments

@LadyDuck (502657)

• Italy

22 Apr 23

I would have used the one on the left "Mna", just because Fir sounds like Sir.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

Well, that would have been very sensible. I'll know for next time - if there is a next time.

1 person likes this

@LadyDuck (502657)

• Italy

23 Apr 23

@JudyEv I am glad when they use "drawings" to show which are for women and which are for men. At least everyone knows and not only those who speak the language.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Apr 23

@LadyDuck That's the best way in my opinion.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@DaddyEvil (174590)

• United States

21 Apr 23

One of the very few Irish words I learned from a friend was "fir", which means "men". Does that mean you used the urinal in your choice of restroom?

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@DaddyEvil (174590)

• United States

22 Apr 23

You're an evil wife. Poor Vince! I guess nobody else needed to use the restroom while you two were there.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

I waited till Vince had finished in the other one!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

@DaddyEvil There wasn't a soul within cooee. If there had been we could have watched who went where.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@moffittjc (128837)

• Gainesville, Florida

21 Apr 23

I would have just waited to see which one all the pretty ladies went I to, and then I would have followed them in! Haha

1 person likes this

show previous comments

@moffittjc (128837)

• Gainesville, Florida

22 Apr 23

@JudyEv They should just get rid of urinals altogether and just make every bathroom unisex.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

@moffittjc That will probably happen eventually. It would make sense now there seems to be more than two genders.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

21 Apr 23

We were the only ones there but once I discovered the urinals, I followed Vince into the other one. lol

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@RubyHawk (99367)

• Atlanta, Georgia

22 Apr 23

That would be so uncomfortable to go into the men's restroom. What can you do though but walk in and check it out.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

Thankfully there was no-one else around so it didn't matter too much.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

23 Apr 23

@RubyHawk Me too.

1 person likes this

@RubyHawk (99367)

• Atlanta, Georgia

23 Apr 23

@JudyEv We have a few restrooms that are fo men and women. I try to avoid those.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@AmbiePam (120944)

• United States

24 Apr 23

I would have been so confused! It makes for a great story though.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

26 Apr 23

I was just glad that no other ladies turned up while Vince was in their side! lol

1 person likes this

@youless (114117)

• Guangzhou, China

22 Apr 23

Thanks for having this discussion! I also thought "Mna" was for men

Now I should remember in case one day I would make a mistake in my travel

I think it is better for a public toilet to have an image besides the words.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

Mostly there are quite clear signs but this is very ambiguous.

@allknowing (153529)

• India

22 Apr 23

Funny they did not think of something that all will understand

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

That was my thinking. Many other signs were in Gaelic and English but not these.

1 person likes this

@wolfgirl569 (135881)

• Marion, Ohio

22 Apr 23

I would have guessed the same as you

. I really like the restaurant sign

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

We were trying to be logical but that didn't work.

1 person likes this

@Shiva49 (28390)

• Singapore

22 Apr 23

Yes, it can be tricky but we have to take a calculated risk. I recall once a lady appeared cool walking into a gent's toilet and even used it after locking the door of course.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

I remember once at a big concert, there weren't really enough toilets and quite a few ladies used the gents' toilets.

1 person likes this

@Ronrybs (21492)

• London, England

21 Apr 23

Only been to a couple of Middle Eastern restaurants and not seen a sign remotely like that one! Guess you have to speak Gaelic, glad we use pictures here

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

21 Apr 23

Many toilets here have Gaelic and English which is fine but it's pretty impossible to guess with most of the Gaelic words. Pictures are much better.

2 people like this

@Ronrybs (21492)

• London, England

21 Apr 23

@JudyEv Pretty much a universal language

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (222624)

• United States

28 Apr 23

I avoid using public restrooms whenever I can. I'm just funny that way.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Apr 23

There are many like you and I completely understand.

1 person likes this

@Beestring (15372)

• Hong Kong

22 Apr 23

Like you, I think I would go to "Mna".

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

We were trying to think logically but that didn't work.

1 person likes this

@Beestring (15372)

• Hong Kong

22 Apr 23

1 person likes this

@BarBaraPrz (51837)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

21 Apr 23

Toilet/Wee Wee...

I would have guessed wrongly, too.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

You can't misunderstand 'wee wee' that's for sure.

1 person likes this

@RebeccasFarm (91297)

• United States

21 Apr 23

You did get that wrong

Oh really in that Middle Eastern..how uncouth that is. Wee wee indeed.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

I've never seen it before - wee wee but at least you weren't left in doubt.

1 person likes this

@jobelbojel (36796)

• Philippines

21 Apr 23

Without reading your post I would go to Mna. Thought it was only a play of letters. Wee Wee (Wiwi) for babies here stands for pee.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

We used wee or wee wee with little kids too.

@Tampa_girl7 (54716)

• United States

21 Apr 23

In my travels to other countries I have always found the restrooms to be interesting.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

21 Apr 23

'Interesting' is as good a word as any!!

@RasmaSandra (98026)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

21 Apr 23

I am glad you had a nice visit. Even after Soviet time Latvia still had old public toilets, You either got a stall with a hole in the ground to you had to climb on a platform and pee down. Now of course they're all gone,

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

22 Apr 23

There are what we call 'squat' toilets in some places in Australia. They've mostly been installed for tourists who are used to that sort of lavatory.

1 person likes this

@Kandae11 (57230)

•

21 Apr 23

They probably got the signs mixed up.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (382328)

• Rockingham, Australia

21 Apr 23

No, the words are abbreviated Gaelic but of course most tourists and foreigners don't understand them.

1 person likes this