Written by Miranda González

In the United States, March 17th is often celebrated by drinking green beer and pinching anyone who’s forgotten to wear something green. It’s called St. Patrick’s Day, and it began as a solemn religious holiday in Ireland. When Irish immigrants came to the United States, the day began to take on a more secular tone. Today, St. Patrick’s Day is widely celebrated as a day of Irish pride.

When the English took political control of Ireland in the 1600s, the English language also took over. Centuries later, there are still Irish speakers in Ireland, but English is by far the majority language. However, because the two languages have coexisted in the same place for such a long time, Irish has left its mark on English. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, let’s take a look at 10 English words that originally came from Irish.

Bog – an area of wet, spongy ground; a marsh

Example: It’s best to go around the bog. If you try to walk through it, you’ll likely get stuck.

Boycott – to refuse to buy, use, or participate in something as a form of protest

Example: I have been boycotting that store for years because the owners treat their workers poorly.

Galore – a great quantity; in abundance

Example: There were all types of desserts at the party: cake, pies, and ice cream galore.

Gob – a lump of something

Example: The baby has gobs of mashed peas in his hair and all over his face.

Hooligan – a young person (usually male) who causes trouble, sometimes breaking the law

Example: Some hooligans were throwing eggs at houses in the neighborhood last night.

Phony – not real; fake

Example: Andrew made up a phony story about a traffic jam when his parents asked why he was late.

Slew – a large number

Example: Smartphones have a slew of features that are not available on basic phones.

Slogan – a memorable phrase used to market products or services

Example: Nike’s slogan is “Just Do It.”

Smithereens – tiny pieces

Example: The bomb exploded, blowing the car to smithereens.

Whiskey – a strong alcoholic drink

Example: An Irish coffee is a drink made with coffee, sugar, cream, and whiskey.

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