Hi Green, It's a little bit silly, but I always imagined it like keeping something from advancing on you by poking it away with a really long finger. Like fending off a wild animal with a long stick or something like that. Hope that helps and that I haven't confused you further!

I use this expression all the time in English, but can't really tease out the meaning! i take it to mean 'it has become un-scheduled, there is no immediate intent to re-schedule it'

The complete phrase is "rud a chur ar an mhéar fhada" - to put something on the long finger. I wasn't sure what the origins of the phrase were, so I did some research and found this: "its an Irish expression meaning 'to postpone indefinitely', and I think comes from the custom of wearing a ring on the index finger of your left hand if you are not enagaged or married, on the second (long) finger if you are engaged, on the third (ring)finger if married, and on the little finger if entirely disinclined." (http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/32/messages/429.html) I don't know if it's the real origin, but for want of any better explanation it may have to do you for now. I'll let you know if I find out anything else about it.