Gallivanting with Words – how the Irish speak English

Gallivanting with Words is a captivating tour of the phrases, quirks and glorious oddities that make Hiberno-English so special. From Shakespearean echoes in ‘we’ll have the tay‘ to old curses – ‘may the devil make a ladder of your spine‘ – this is language to be celebrated and enjoyed.

Rambling from Cork to Connemara, you’ll meet langers, doses and gurriers; learn the difference between nothing too hectic and getting locked; and find out why foxes causes shenanigans. Along the way, you’ll discover words from themuns and ussuns, hear the slagging from the GAA sideline, and maybe even steal a sneaky shift.

Warm, sharp and glorious Irish, this book is both a love letter and a laugh-out-loud romp through the words that shape us – the ones we use, the ones we’ve lost and the ones that make us who we are.