From smithereens to tory, there are many common English language words that you probably didn’t realise came from Irish.
The Irish language, also referred to as gaeilge, was the population’s first language and is still very popular across the country.
It’s also been spread across the globe through the wide-ranging Irish diaspora.
READ MORE: St Patrick's Day Ireland 2022 LIVE updates: Pub changes, Temple Bar scenes and garda warning
According to the most recent census, 39.8% of respondents in the Republic and 10.65% of the respondents in the north claimed they could speak the language.
The language’s influence on modern English is evident and is responsible for many everyday words.
Here are 12 everyday English words that you didn’t realise came from the Irish language
Hooligan
Hooligan - meaning someone who takes part in rowdy behaviour - is said to have come from the Irish family name O hUallachain, which was anglicised as O'Houlihan.
A popular British music hall song of the 1890s referenced the fictional Irish fighting family of O hUallachain, who were known for their bad social behaviour.
Tory
The word Tory, commonly used to refer to a member of the UK Conservative Party, comes from the Irish Gaelic word ‘toraidhe’ meaning outlaw or robber. The phrase was popular in the 17th century when it was meant as an insult.
Whiskey
Whiskey is the English interpretation of an old Irish name for the drink - uisce beatha which means water of life. The uisce part was anglicised to become whiskey, and in some parts of Ireland it is still pronounced whish-key.
Clock
The word clock can be traced back to old Irish words clagan and clocca, both meaning ‘bell’, which references hand-bells used by early Irish missionaries.
Galore
Galore comes from go leor which is the Irish phrase for 'there was a lot of something'. The only difference between the pair is the spelling, as they both have the similar pronunciations.
Slogan
Slogan comes from the phrase sluagh-ghairm, which can be traced back to the 1670s when it was apparently used as a battle cry by Irish clans. It’s derived from the Irish sluagh-ghairm, meaning army shout
Bother
There are two possible Irish words that influenced the English word bother. It could come from bodhar which means deaf/bothered/confused or from bodhraigh which means to deafen/annoy.
Lough
Lough, which is used to refer to a lake, comes from the Irish loch.
Smithereens
Smithereens is made up of the word ‘smithers’, with the Irish diminutive ending ‘eens’.
It was likely developed from the Irish word smidirini, which means little bits.
Cross
The ultimate source of this word is the Latin crux, but some sources say the English word comes from Old Irish cros.
Slob
The English word slob, which means “an untidy, sloppy, or lazy person,” derives from the Irish Gaelic word slab, which means mud.
Trousers
The word trousers derives from the Gaelic words triubhas or trius. This was taken into English in the sixteenth century and became trouse before becoming the word we now use.
READ MORE: Live webcam shows Temple Bar absolutely wedged with St Patrick’s Day revellers at just 10am
READ MORE: Supermarket St Patrick's Day opening hours as Tesco, Lidl, Aldi, Dunnes and Supervalu make changes
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter.
