dig with the...foot, v. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

dig with the...foot v.

[the traditional assumption that in the Republic of Ireland (Catholic), people usu. press on the spade with the left foot, while in Northern Ireland (largely Protestant), it is the reverse; however, note E.E. Evans Irish Folk Ways (1957): ‘In [southern] Ireland the majority of diggers use the right foot [...] In Eastern Ireland, on the other hand, and particularly in Prostestant districts of the north-east, the left foot is usually the digging foot’]

(Ulster) used in various combs. below to denote one’s religious persuasion.

1880		implied in dig with the same foot
1996		C.I. Macafee Concise Ulster Dict 97/1–2: what foot does he or she dig with? euphemism what is his or her religious persuasion?
1997		H. Docherty posting on guestbook of O Doherty Clann of Ireland 🌐 God bless all in my fathers land whether you dig with both feet or no feet or don’t even dig. Our peaceful homeland should welcome all except bigotry and violence.

In phrases

dig with the left foot (v.)

depending on where one is, to be of the opposite sectarian group to that of the speaker; usu. Roman Catholic but sometimes Protestant (see ety. above).

1939		D. Hurley Herself 28: [of a Protestant] So I gave him a firm nod, and I gave another nod to Silas McPartland, whose father was Irish — even if he did dig with the left foot.
1969		Punch CCLVI 89: [...] only they and God can prevent this, unless of course God happens to dig with the left foot.
1990		S.G. Putt Wings of a Man’s Life 193: [of Roman Catholics] There was in the Ulster air an uncanny aptitude for spotting a member of the religious minority: ‘those who dig with the left foot,’ or more simply ‘left-footers’.
1996		C.I. Macafee Concise Ulster Dict 97/1–2: dig with the left foot be a Roman Catholic.
2001		D. Sewell Catholics 6: [of a Roman Catholic]The bizarre enquiry: ‘Does he dig with the left foot?’ The atavistic Protestant bigotry of the kind that impelled my grandmother.

dig with the other foot (v.) (also ...wrong foot)

to be of another religion.

c.1940–5		‘Myles na gCopaleen’ Best of Myles (1968) 235: But of course your man Shaw digs with the other foot.
1943		‘Myles na gCopaleen’ Faustus Kelly in O’Brien & Cournos Stories & Plays (1973) 170: Are you an R.C. still or did you learn to dig with the wrong foot?
1958		(con. 1940s) B. Behan Borstal Boy 196: Although he digs with the other foot, he’s still an Irishman.
1961		(con. 1890–1910) ‘Flann O’Brien’ Hard Life (1962) 12: I always heard that Saint Finbarr was a Protestant, Mrs. Crotty snapped. Dug with the other foot.
1969		R. Greacen Even without Irene (1995) 85: Father was normally somewhat suspicious of those who ‘dug with the wrond foot’ .
1983		R. Johnstone Images of Belfast in Ormsby Northern Windows 246: I don’t think any of us turned to ‘dig with the other foot’ .
1996		C.I. Macafee Concise Ulster Dict 97/1–2: dig with the wrong foot be of a different religious persuasion.

dig with the right foot (v.)

(Ulster) to be a Protestant; occas. a Roman Catholic (see ety. above).

1873		Belfast News 5 Mar. 4/2: Mr Meek did not dig with the right foot.
1939		D. Hurley Herself 147: Indeed, I dig with the right foot. There were never any left-handers in my family.
1978		F. Burton Politics of Legitimacy 50: Whatever the case might have been the man interpreted, probably correctly, that he did not ‘dig with the right foot’.
1996		C.I. Macafee Concise Ulster Dict 97/1–2: dig with the right foot 1 be a Protestant.
2003		Allen & Kelly (eds) Cities of Belfast 133: That evening a neighbour had told him ‘with a sour smile’ that he would not have the job for long because ‘You don’t dig with the right foot, sonny’.

dig with the same foot (v.) (also ...right foot)

to share a religion or a philosophical viewpoint.

1880		W. Dickinson Gloss. of [...] Cumberland 30: Dig with the same foot, to belong to the same religious denomination.
1953		M. Traynor Eng. Dial. of Donegal 80: To dig with the same foot, to be of the same religious persuasion.
1966		S. McCann World of Brendan Behan 161: He’s religious, a good sign in any man, what matter if he doesn’t dig with the same foot as yourself.
1971		T. De Vere White Minister for Justice 170: The Parish Priest [...] would have a say in the matter. ‘You dig with the same foot,’ she added. ‘That ought to help.’.
1983		R. Davies Rebel Angels 10: ‘Did he dig with the same foot as that pestilent fellow Luther?’ ‘He dug with the same foot as that admirable fellow Erasmus.’.
1996		C.I. Macafee Concise Ulster Dict 97/1–2: dig with the right foot [...] 2 be of the same religious persuasion. dig with the same foot be of the same religious persuasion.