Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(usu. Aus.) an Irish person.

1824		Pierce Egan’s Life in London 19 Sept. 269/1: The rich Tipperary brogue [...] of our Emeralder gave offence to an overgrown Sawyer.
1827		J. Wight More Mornings in Bow St. 72: James Pettit, a pure Emerald, apeared in custody.
1838		‘Paul Pry’ Oddities of London Life I 150: The difficulty of obtaining a direct answer from an "Emeralder" has often before been noticed. [...] The bench is frequently puzzled to get an answer from an Irish witness .
1844		New Sporting Mag. (London) July 2: ‘Holloa, Tom,’ [...] said our young Irishman [...] I hope we may cross the Thames today.’ ‘Why?’ asked the other. ‘Because,’ responded the Emeralder [etc.] .
1847		Bell’s Life in Sydney 18 Sept. 3: Biddy Williams, a ‘rael Immeralder’.
1851		Bell’s Life in Sydney 22 Feb. 3/3: Paddy the taterman, alias James Sullivan, a rowly-powly, skylarking, rollicking Emeralder.
1856		Life in Boston & N.Y. (Boston, MA) 25 Oct. n.p.: James F—y [...] is a big blowhard Emeralder .
1866		Sportsman 27 Sept. 2/1: Notes on News [...] [P]eople who once chaffed the tall Emeralder as a limp ogre [...] with heart no bigger than a bee’s knee, will have to own that the ‘great O’ is at least not quite so ‘soft’.