This St. Patrick's Day remember this list when some asks "Are you Irish?"
Here's the list:
You know you're Irish if...
~ The person that you insult most is probably your best friend
~ During your youth much of your food was boiled
~ You're strangely poetic after a few beers
~ You don't know the words but that doesn't stop you from singing
~ You can't wait for the other guy to stop talking so you can start talking
~ You have no idea how to make a long story short
~ Tea is the solution to every problem
~ And holy water is the solution to every injury
~ Saying 'I will yea' means that you definitely won't
~ 'For the craic' is the best reason for doing anything
~ Nobody can go a day without saying 'Jaysus'
~ You have a gift for swearing
~ You can insert the name of a gardening tool into any sentence and it still makes sense, e.g. 'I had a rake of drink last night' or "I'll be out in a minute, I'm just shoveling down the dinner'
~ Its perfectly acceptable to call your mother 'mammy' even though you are a fully grown adult
~ Saying 'Now we're sucking diesel' means that you are happy with the outcome of the situation
~ Drinking 'tae' is everyone's favourite past time
~ You're scared of the wooden spoon
~ The word 'like' goes in every sentence
~ You can say "Any craic' to a policeman and you won't get arrested
Sources : The Door and Facebook
30 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.harkinog | Mar 09, 2013, 05:17 PM EST
WHY DO AMERICANS SAY 'ST PATTY'S DAY'?! Do you realise how annoying that is in Ireland?
phinsman | Oct 04, 2011, 02:56 PM EDT
How about if both of your parents are alcoholic?
WoundedKnee | Oct 01, 2011, 03:06 PM EDT
You know you are Irish if ---your last name is Ching or Kaspeczieskaya.
ballyhip | Sep 29, 2011, 07:47 PM EDT
Parents born in Ireland but became throughly American. Yes we had boiled dinners but also great lasagna because Mrs. Russo (Calabria) taught my mother how to cook...thank God. Never, ever heard the word "craic" used by anyone in the extended family. My father occasionally took us to Dilboy Field for Gaelic games but never pushed them on us. First thing my parents learned in America was birth control...two siblings and we are two and a half years apart. Ah, what a grand place, America.
AlunPalmer | Sep 29, 2011, 01:54 AM EDT
Got 9 out of 10, and I'm from London. I am 1/8 Irish, but that's an important part.
bogsidebunny | Sep 29, 2011, 01:47 AM EDT
You know your irish if you can relate to this "Irish Times" article: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/motors/2011/0928/1224304842762.html It's a hoot!
Fionnuala | Sep 28, 2011, 07:23 PM EDT
The wooden spoon is a strong memory as is the nuns using a wooden ruler!
LilPaddy | Sep 28, 2011, 06:00 PM EDT
I'm guilty on just about every one.... AND DAMM PROUD OF IT!! Seariously, think about it.... If you were not Irish, what would you be? Ans.... SOMETHING ELSE!
Gearoid4 | Sep 28, 2011, 04:49 PM EDT
You know you're Oirish, if ye dress up with a red beard and tall green hat with a black buckle on the patron saint's day and say begorrah a lot. Also if ya pass out face down on the sidewalk after a day's frenetic marching and liquid refreshments, then you are definitely a chip of the ole sod.
deburca | Sep 28, 2011, 04:26 PM EDT
Most of these (accept for maybe the tae and the boiled food) fit for anyone from Chicago as well! Probably the big Irish influence over the city!
oaklongan | Sep 27, 2011, 08:20 PM EDT
If the shoe fits! Am an American but starting with the first sentence, you nailed more than half with me. Some behavior IS genetic, definitely...
jacersagain | Sep 27, 2011, 03:28 PM EDT
When my young niece started wearing teeth braces for the first time, her friends said she had a face that looked like the front of a JCB.
jacersagain | Sep 27, 2011, 03:26 PM EDT
... and your best friends insult you the most!
jacersagain | Sep 27, 2011, 03:25 PM EDT
Drinking anything - Guinness, Jamesons, Wodka - is most Irish people's pastime. Sunday and Saturday nights in the pubs are always great craic with our families and friends.
jacersagain | Sep 27, 2011, 03:21 PM EDT
@ falconflash - Jaysus, will ye cop on! Taking the Lord’s name in vain IS a sin (As in shouting “I am Jesus!” or “I am God!” – even Spanish men carry the name Jesus as part of their family name and it's not a sin) but us Irish using His name (Jesus) in our own accent (Jaysus) in astonishment is not. We in fact use it colloquially as a shortened prayer... when we say “Jaysus!” we mean “Jesus save and protect us!” or “By Jesus tell me that’s not true!” or “For Jesus’ sake, stop that!” In one word, by one Name, all prayers... yep, we Irish are very prayerful, every minute of every day! Yrs Sincerely, jacers.
ancavker | Sep 27, 2011, 01:46 PM EDT
After you swear, you have to say God forgive me.
ellenred | Sep 27, 2011, 12:51 PM EDT
I thought only my mother was good with the wooden spoon. God knows I needed it. And the nuns used to tell me I was "bold as brass" right before they whacked me with the ruler and pulled my red hair to get my attention
fossildigger | Sep 27, 2011, 11:47 AM EDT
I also remember the bottles of Bushmills nothing else was allowed in the house it was used like medicine on teething babies gums or just for the hell of it they called it having a jar. Very fond memories of those times, excetp for maybe St. Josephs Catholic school where we tormented the Nuns but got the ruler anyway even when we hadnt done anything, I was never called anything at school except "That Tully" Girl. I could go on forever but work awaits. I love this page.
fossildigger | Sep 27, 2011, 11:37 AM EDT
I grew up with my 2 Irish Grannies in the US but they were both from Galway so I grew up speaking "Irish", went to kindergarten, no one could understand a thing I said. Jesus,mary & Joseph was the most prominant swear words, and we had so many boiled dinners i lost count. But I could swear like a sailor by the time I was 5 and could hold me own in fight usually caused by me. I am Irish through & through, the grannies are gone a long time now and I was forced to go to Speech Therapy for my speech impediment, it was the 50's but I cherish every momemt. I still drink tea have come back to visit several times, my family immigrated during the famine. in America they were at least able to get jobs they worked on the west coast on boats.
phearne | Sep 27, 2011, 11:05 AM EDT
Well,I answered yes to six out of the seven.Being a mix of Irish,English,Choctaw, and a Catholic to boot can be a challenge. I've been told my temper,love of spinning tall tails,firm belief in all things magic,including the wee people and ghosts can be a challenge to my friends.I have always found it to be great fun and have never let the truth stand in the way of a good story or a so so voice and poor memory for the words keep me from singing.
KSERRAHN | Sep 27, 2011, 11:04 AM EDT
Well pretty much sums me up. Ya got me. Pegged me good you did.
donal1951 | Sep 27, 2011, 10:04 AM EDT
When I worked for Associated Press, we had an English teacher nun with no experience in news writing as the company writing coach. I nicknamed her Sister Mary Imaculata of the Holy Ruler. As a product of Catholic schools, I got away with it and it stuck.
nanny2sorli | Sep 27, 2011, 10:00 AM EDT
I'm obviously not an Irish woman, despite being born in Dublin, Ireland,and being able to trace my Irish ancestors to 9 BC (before I got bored) as I don't even recognise some of these sayings! Had never heard of Craic until I came to USA 16 years ago; don't swear or drink, or take the Lord's name in vain; use a wooden spoon wherever it's appropriate, I admit to using "Mammy" to my siblings only, just as some posh people use "Mummy". Oh well, suppose I'll have to become an American if I'm not Irish. lol
carrickcourt | Sep 27, 2011, 09:40 AM EDT
my second cousins once removed!
carrickcourt | Sep 27, 2011, 09:39 AM EDT
My older Irish second cousins once were very disappointed in me when we went out for an evening to a local pub and they discovered that their Yankee cousin could not come with a song to sing. I can not remember the words to songs but can remember tunes. I do have a good tenor voice.
mcdolan | Sep 27, 2011, 09:39 AM EDT
This is doing the rounds on Facebook -- very amusing. I'd like to add - You know you're Irish when you say 'I don't mind' in answer to a direct yes or no question!
jjkleprechaun | Sep 27, 2011, 09:36 AM EDT
I recognize many and do some even though I was born in the USA. I'm proud of my Irish roots!
stephendoyle | Sep 27, 2011, 09:35 AM EDT
Along with being afraid of wooden spoons, I will add being afraid of Nuns with wooden rulers! My hands still hurt 40 years later!
CitizenWhy | Sep 27, 2011, 09:26 AM EDT
Depends on where you are from, and if you are American, when your parents or grandparents, etc., left Ireland. I recognize three, that's it. Odd, we were raised "to get to the point" and to listen and ask questions before talking.
joan1954 | Sep 27, 2011, 09:23 AM EDT
Some of these I have heard among the older folks in my family and, I, do not make a long story short.