Glossary of Irish Terms

General Conversation:

• Craic – Fun or mischief.
• Ta/Cheers – An abbreviation of thanks.
• Codding/Messing – Joking i.e. I am only codding you. – I am only joking you.
• Cop On – Direct translation: Get some common sense.
• What’s the story? – How are you?
• Give-out – To give out to someone is to complain or get angry with them.
• Gas – Used to refer to something that is funny or bizarre. i.e. That’s gas – That’s funny.
• Deadly – An exclamation responding to something great, it is used as a positive term in Ireland.
• Culchie – A slightly derogatory term used to describe people from the countryside or rural locations.
• You know yourself – A phrase that basically means fine, or same old same old, and is considered a valid answer to a question.
• Stuffed – The term stuffed is often used after a meal, to express fullness.
• Knackered/Wrecked – Tired
• Cute – Generally used to describe something pretty or attractive, Cute in Ireland can also mean clever or sly.

National Terms:

• Taoiseach – Ireland’s prime-minister.
• The Dail: Ireland’s parliament.
• The Seanad: Ireland’s upper house of government, which also comprises of the President and the Dail.
• The Dart – Dublin’s electric rail transport system that runs along the coastline of Dublin
• The Luas – Dublin’s tram system that operates two lines within Dublin City, the red line and the green line.
• Bus Eireann – Ireland’s national bus service that operates all public services outside of Dublin.
• Connacht: Western Province of Ireland.
• Ulster: Northern province of Ireland.
• Leinster: Eastern province of Ireland, that includes Dublin.
• Munster: Southern province of Ireland.

Out and About:

• Bookies/Turf accountant – A betting shop.
• Chipper – A takeaway that sells french-fries, fish and fast-food.
• Footpath/Path – Is the pedestrian walking path, the equivalent is the American sidewalk.
• The Jacks /The Loo – The bathroom.

Sports:

• Hurling – A fast-paced Irish game played with hockey-like sticks (a hurley) and a hard baseball-like ball (a sliotar).
• Gaelic Football – Ireland’s national sport is a 15 a side game football game, that could be described as similar to a cross between soccer and rugby.
• GAA – Ireland national sports association.

Socialising:

• Jars – In Ireland Jars is often used to refer to alcoholic drinks, i.e. Are you going for a few Jars? – Are you going for a few drinks?
• Pints – Another term used to refer to alcoholic drinks, generally meaning beer.
• Slainte – Health, often used to toast a celebration or occasion.
• Rounds – Is a tradition in Ireland, where people who are out together buy each-others drinks in turns. So instead of everyone individually buying their own drink, one person will buy everyone’s drink, and those on the receiving end will reciprocate when the next drink is needed.

Household:

• Runners – Sports footwear, trainers.
• Hotpress – Airing cupboard used for storing sheets and towels.
• Jumper – Sweater.
• Boot – A boot is generally a type of footwear, but in Ireland boot may also refer to the trunk of a car.
• Sliced pan – A loaf of bread which is sliced
• Minerals – A general term to describe fizzy drinks like Coke, 7up etc. equivalent to soda’s.
• Messages – Doing a grocery shop is often referred to as getting your messages.