70+ Irish Slang Words and Phrases That Are Great Craic

By
, Staff Writer
Updated October 11, 2021
Three Leaf Clovers With Irish Slang Words Examples
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    Three Leaf Clover Irish Slang Words Examples
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    DEV IMAGES / Moment / Getty Images
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Whether you’re planning a trip to Ireland or just a jaunt to your local Irish pub, knowing some Irish slang words and phrases can help you connect to Irish culture. Brush up on your Irish slang with these colorful examples.

Everyday Irish Slang Words and Phrases

The exact meaning and usage of these words and phrases from Ireland may vary from one area to another, so be sure and pay close attention to the context in which they're being used.

  • all lured - feeling delighted

  • banjaxed - a multipurpose word that can mean broken, tired or drunk

  • be wide - be careful

  • bucketing down - a heavy downpour of rain

  • chiseler - a young child

  • ciotóg - left-handed

  • craic - fun; the latest fun news, gossip or scoop; banter, good conversation

  • culchie - someone who lives in the countryside

  • deadly - amazing, awesome

  • fair play - well done; good job

  • gas - something or someone that is funny

  • give it a lash - give it a go

  • great craic - a very fun time

  • jacks - the toilet

  • jammy - lucky

  • leg it - run or move quickly

  • minus craic - not fun at all; boring

  • sangers - sandwiches

  • savage - outstanding, excellent; brilliant

  • shattered - tired, exhausted

  • slagging - making fun of someone; mocking in a light-hearted way

  • suckin' diesel - going well, moving forward

  • thanks a million - thanks a lot

  • up to 90 - extremely busy

  • wrecked - exhausted, extremely tired; worn out

  • yoke - an item for which you can't remember the name

  • yer man - a male person, someone you don't know or you've forgotten their name

Irish Slang Insults

Be sure you fully understand these Irish slang insults before you start adding them to your vocabulary.

  • acting the maggot - acting foolish, messing around

  • bollix - someone who is very annoying or foolish

  • chancer - someone who pretends to be something they’re not

  • eejit - a person who is not smart or does idiotic things

  • feck - a mild expletive used instead of the other F word with many variations: fecker, feck off, etc

  • glunterpeck - an idiot

  • gobsheen - someone who is irritating or incompetent; not smart

  • kip - somewhere dirty, messy; a place that is not properly cared for

  • manky - dirty, unsanitary, unclean

  • not the full shilling - a stupid or crazy person

  • one can short of a six-pack - not all there (in the head); not very bright

  • pox - someone who is a nuisance; a bothersome person

  • skanger - hoodlum; someone who behaves badly and disrespects authority

  • scut - a foolish person; someone for whom one has contempt

  • sleeveen - someone sly, smooth-tongued, untrustworthy or a trickster

  • thick - not very smart; stupid

  • wagon - someone who is very mean or obnoxious, usually used for women

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Irish Slang Terms of Endearment

Happy Couple Irish Slang Words Examples
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    Happy Couple Irish Slang Words Examples
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    avdeev007 / iStock / Getty Images Plus
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If you're Irish or love Irish culture, you might opt to use one of these unique terms of endearment for family members, friends or romantic partners.

  • acushla - from the Irish Gaelic cuisle, which means “pulse” or “vein”
  • beour - a beautiful woman; one's girlfriend
  • dote - an adorable or wonderful person
  • fella - a man, can be used for boyfriend
  • good woman - affectionate term for a woman
  • good girl - affectionate term for a girl
  • mot - girlfriend
  • mucker - good friend; pal
  • oul fella - one's father
  • oul dear/oul wan - one's mother
  • wean - child

Irish Slang for Drunk

The Irish have lots of slang terms that can be used to indicate that someone is very drunk. The alcohol may run short, but the Irish slang for being drunk certainly never will.

  • battered

  • bladdered

  • blitzed

  • buckled

  • fluthered

  • full as a bingo bus

  • gone

  • half-cut

  • jarred

  • lamped

  • langers

  • legless

  • off his/her face

  • on the tear

  • ossified

  • pickled

  • pissed

  • plastered

  • polluted

  • rotten

  • sloshed

  • snattered

  • steamin'

  • stocious

  • two sheets to the wind

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When in Ireland

Now that you're clear on some of the informal colloquial terms that are popular in Ireland, you're ready to travel to the Emerald Isle. You might also want to learn a bit about the basics of Gaelic before your journey to Ireland. If you’re planning a trip to the U.K., get to know some British slang.