Does the phrase "life of Riley" refer to a real or fictitious person?

myjoey

Living the life of Riley" suggests an ideal life of prosperity and contentment, possibly living on someone else's money, time or work. Rather than a negative freeloading or golddigging aspect, it instead implies that someone is kept or advantaged. The expression was popular in the 1880s. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_of_Riley Jun 16 06, 4:41 PM

zbeckabee

While myjoey's answer is echoed in the below link...it also has a little different twist which I found amusing: "The Riley bros were told by their da that the one who touched Irish land first got their choice of the countryside. So in rowing to shore -- as some sort of boat race was involved -- one of the lads saw that he was slipping behind his sibling(s). Rather than miss out on the chance of a lifetime, junior hacked off his own hand and threw it ahead onto the beach. And the winner, by a bloodied fist is... So the Rileys grasped County Cavan in the open palm of a severed hand thereby learning a lesson or two about sibling rivalry." http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/17/messages/404.html Jun 16 06, 10:27 PM