Irish Phrases Used in the English Language

Commonly Used Phrases

Have you ever been warned you'll grow up to be an old biddy? Ever taken the cake? And did you know that those sayings became a part of the English language thanks to the Irish? Keep reading to discover the meanings of these and other commonly used Irish phrases.

Wail of the banshee - Irish folklore says that the Banshee (a fairy woman) wails or "keens" to announce a mortal person's death. To keen is to lament and the Banshee only keens for those whose names begin with 'Mac/Mc' or 'O'. Her cries can be heard from Ireland to America and she follows those who were true Irish no matter where they go.

Beyond the Pale- Is a term that means unacceptable or unreasonable. The word Pale refers to those parts of the Ireland that England controlled. Eventually the Pale disappeared when England took complete control of the island. An example using the phrase would be: The way she acted at the party today was beyond the pale.

Kiss the blarney stone - Blarney means to smooth talk, it also means that whatever you are saying is nonsense. A blarney stone is a stone that is built into the battlement on top of the tower of Blarney Castle in county Cork. Irish traditions say that if you go to Blarney Castle and kiss the blarney stone you'll be given the gift of gab, the master of persuasion and be a charismatic speaker.

Potluck - To the Irish, a potluck was a meal with no particular menu. Everyone participating brought a dish for all to share. The term comes from a time when groups of Irish women would gather together and cook dinner. They only had one pot so they cooked the meal together with whatever ingredients they happened to have that day.

Biddy - The term biddy came about during the wave of Irish immigration to America. Jobs were hard to come by for the Irish so many of the women became maids. The term biddy was adapted to describe the job. Nowadays we think of an old biddy as an old lonely woman that owns 23 cats.