A reblog of my original series posted on March 13th, 2011 - for orginal post and comments, click here (where or where have so many members gone?)
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TICK TOCK . . .
ONLY 4 MORE DAYS TO GET YOUR IRISH ON!
Do you ever hear Irish words or terms and haven't a notion of what they mean? Well let me talk you thru a few of the more popular phrases and their meanings and a few more Irish Facts: 
Blarney . . . 1796, from Blarney Stone* (which is said to make a persuasive flatterer of any who kiss it), in a castle near Cork, Ireland; reached wide currency through Lady Blarny, the smooth-talking flatterer in Goldsmith's "Vicar of Wakefield" (1766).
*The Blarney Stone in Ireland has been named as the most 'unhygienic' tourist attraction in the world. It is kissed by more than 400,000 people each year and is now said to give you more than 'the gift of the gab' now!
Catherine Kelly, who died in 1785, was allegedly the smallest Irish woman ever. With a total height of just 34 inches and a weight of 8 pounds, she was known as "The Irish Fairy."
Craic . . . first of all, it is pronounced "Crack". Put simply, having craic is having a good time or a laugh. However, due to an unfortunate similarity in pronunciation with a well-known and illegal narcotic substance, not everyone gets the right idea about it.
The longest place name in Ireland is Muckanaghederdauhaulia, in County Galway.
According to one rather obscure Irish legend, a ringing in your ears means a deceased friend stuck in Purgatory is ringing a bell to ask for you to pray for him/her.
Couples in Ireland could marry legally on St. Brigid's Day (February 1st) in Teltown, County Meath, as recently as the 1920's by simply walking towards each other. If the marriage failed, they could "divorce'" by walking away from each other at the same spot, on St. Brigid's day the following year.
The Newgrange passage tomb in County Meath was constructed around 3200 BC, making it more than 600 years older than the Giza Pyramids in Egypt, and 1,000 years older than Stonehenge.
Bram Stoker was working as a civil servant in Dublin when he wrote "Dracula" in 1897.
It was never the custom in Ireland to wear green ties, hats or other green clothes on St. Patrick's Day. A sprig of shamrock in the coat lapel is the preferred display. It would mainly be tourists flocking to the streets in this sort of attire!
Previous in the Series:
14 Days to St Paddy's - The Shamrock Shake
13 Days to St Paddy's - Irish Wheaten Bread
12 Days to St Paddy's - Potato and Cabbage Soup
11 Days to St Paddy's - Pot Roast with Guinness Gravy
10 Days to St Paddy's - 10 Facts about Guinness
9 Days to St Paddy's - 9 Irish Toasts
8 DAYS TO ST PADDY'S DAY - TOP 8 IRISH NAMES
7 DAYS TO ST PADDY'S DAY - THE CLADDAGH RING
6 Days to St Paddy's Day - LEPRECHAUN PROTECTION
5 DAYS TO ST PADDY'S DAY - IRISH CUPCAKES
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