SOME IRISH TRIVIA

 Good to Know Trivia

• Burning peat in homes emitting its distinctive aroma is common.
• Celts used hanging moss as toilet paper eons ago.
• The tapping of the foot is called riding the boat.
• In an Irish wake the body remains above ground for a week.
• An Irish ceilidh (pronounced cay lee—the dh in Gaelic is silent) involves Irish music, song and dance.
• Signs are in both Gaelic and English. Gaelic is learned in school and tests are given in Gaelic.
• There is no definitive yes or no in the Irish language.
• Getting to know the Irish is like finding a friend for life.
• The Irish love any excuse for a party and the country is legendary for its craic (good fun). Festivals and fairs are a massive part of Irish cultural life.
• In the Republic of Ireland 95% of the people are Catholic.
• Divorce was not legal until 1995.
• Birth control was not allowed until the 1980s.
• Celtic designs represent eternity and leave a story telling legacy.
• The faster an Irishman talks, the heavier the bough and the harder to understand.
• Fish and chips are a common menu item.
• 99 ice cream is popular everywhere.
• The thousands of sheep are marked with the owner’s colored grease mark.
• Counties all have colors and display such flags everywhere for all kinds of events.
• No bother is a common expression.
• A well known Irish comedian says, “That’s a good one. Write it down.”
• Shay la la means another story.

Drinking

• Poteen is moonshine made from peat.
• Irish whiskey with cloves, sugar, lemon and hot water is called hot powers.
• Ireland is as famous for its castles as it is for the national drink, Guinness.
• Water of life is Irish whisky.
• Downing a pint is equivalent to ingesting the most complete vegetarian meal in the world.
• Women imbibe a half-pint, not a full pint---that is left to the men.