The Feckin' Book of Everything Irish: A Gansey-Load of Deadly Craic for Cute Hoors and Bowsies

by Colin Murphy and Donal O'Dea, Donal O'Dea

irish book. The Feckin' Book of Everything A Gansey-Load of Deadly Craic for Cute Hoors and Bowsies

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Ireland, Irish Literature, Reference, Comedy, Travel

304 pages, Hardcover

First published August 25, 2006

Reviews

[Natalie]

This was the funniest book I have read in donkey's years. ;) I feckin' loved every feckin' page of this feckin' book.

It was split into four sections, my favorite of which being A Guide to Sex and Love that's not fit for daecent people's eyes. ROFLMAO Second favorite was Luvely Recipes yer ma useta make when you were a little gurrier. The cooking instructions have wonderful little comments thrown in that had me laughing out loud every other minute; the pinnacle is, regarding a bullion cube: "Don't forget to crumble it, ye big eejit!"

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

EHHHHHH… I mean this book is more of a like two star really. But I thought if I didn't give it a three I'd be tossed right out of the green mafia for that sham rockery. I get that it's a bit of a joke book about Ireland with a sprinkling of Irish history and culture as well as… recipes? I mean… I'm an irish lady (if you couldn't tell by my name…and if you know me the scary pale skin, auburn hair, irish tattoos (Not the really awful ones, ok, maybe they are, but I like them) and affinity for hooch….but Irish COOKING?! Buzz, your girlfriend, WOOF.

Now now… shepherd's pie? Esp at Rula Bula and few other places? DELISH… DEEEEELISH. Scones? They rhyme with stones for a reason…bc they taste like them. I mean really… do you see a lot of options for "irish food"? Sure irish pubs… but they usually have like pub fair, bc frankly we are not know to be culinary masters. Then again…you likely shouldn't trust us around flames… or stoves where we can forget they're on and one flaming potato (sweet if you're my sister) away from losing your house or annoying the whole apt building when it needs to be evacuated. (Which on a random note happened in my apt the other day, except there was no direct cause for it since I was only working out…the working theory is that I got the room so hot it went off… BETTER BELIEVE I MAKE IT HOT! Ok….not really, I'm very fat and slow after foot surgery last year)

Another tangent the book goes in is how much we Irish like to… "enjoy each others company"… aka naked wrestle. I mean there are somethings you just don't TALK about…but then think about it. Think of all the people that claim they're at least a little irish…and think about the tiny lil island that is Ireland… that's a LOTTA procreating….so I guess they're just calling a spade a spade.

All in all… this book served it's purpose. Bc I really want a guinness now. Or maybe that'd bc it's Friday and want to tell everyone to kick rocks after another lovely day at work.

It's 5 o'clock somewhere kids…and when you live in Boston? At noon that place is IRELAND. Coincidence? I THINK NOT.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

More filler than filling. Wide margins, copious illustrations, oversized quotes - all the normal page-count stretching tricks are present. The slang section is amusing, the section of song lyrics could have done with longer, less tritely humorous introductions, the food and drink section is no substitute for a real cookbook, and the extensive section on Irish sexual history was oddly out of place with the rest of the book.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a droll little volume replete with examples of Irish idiomatic phrases and sayings, song lyrics, cultural and historical tidbits, a lengthy section on sex (a topic the Irish love to talk about not talking about), and of course, some recipes because isn't great cuisine what the Emerald Isle is known for the world over (crickets chirping...)? Interspersed throughout are quips from various authors and other quotable types, including George Bernard Shaw, and of course, the most quotable of them all, Oscar Wilde (my favorite, worthy of that bar-frequenting misogynist from Cheers, Norm: "Polygamy is having one wife too many; monogamy--same thing"). Nothing in this book made me laugh out loud, but it gave me a lot of smiles and chuckles, and that's enough to recommend it.

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well it's good to now know terms and food and drinks of Ireland... This book is a really good reference book if you were to go to Ireland... I'm sure they still use some of these terms to this day... It's also crazy some of the laws they used to have in Ireland... It's quite a feckin interesting read to just kill time... Great book to read in the bathroom!

[J]

from Maura

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book, I wanted something Irish to read over St. Patrick's Day weekend. This is perfect! I might have to try some of the recipes. ☺ ❤

[Karen Hannum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll keep this for the ballads and the recipes. Otherwise, is a read and pass it on book. Mildly funny. Many phrases are not uniquely Irish or are common phrases in Irish dialect spelling.

[Bill Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silly but fun read

[Drew Reilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun little read. I wish there was more humorous history, like in Chapters 1 and 2, but other than that, a fun, light-hearted and quick read.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fun read. Course Grandma was Irish.( we ignored the bit of French) it was where we took most of our cultural customs .

[Michael Grizer (He-Him) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute entertaining book.

[Althea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, gave to Allison

[Logan Powers · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do these two love Ireland or absolutely hate it? I can’t tell. It should be called “the book of everything that sucks about Ireland”.

[Tom Donaghey · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE FECKIN’ BOOK OF EVERYTHING IRISH is a delightful look into all things Irish. Whether you are boning up for St. Pat’s Day, learning a bit more about your own ancestry or just trying to get your Irish on, this charmer is for you.
The first section, the best by far, offers a dictionary of quaint sayings, Irish idioms and down to the balls slang and curse words sure to set your granny’s knickers to burning.
Follow that up with an explanation of sex, the Irish way, and you will understand why you can find a little bit of the Ole’ Sod in even the most remote corners of the world. And as we Irish are some of the best singers in the world, is there any wonder there is a section devoted entirely to the words of the most beautiful songs to be found in this life. Who doesn’t love a bit of the Irish Rover after a pint of five?
And, the most neglected of all things Irish, there is an entire section devoted to Irish cuisine. Didn’t see that one coming did you but I swear it’s true, you can find more than pub food in the Emerald Isle.
All of this is presented with a smile on the face, many helpful cartoons, and a smattering of the best adages and idioms from the world’s greatest writers, all Irish of course.
Authors Colin Murphy and Donal O’Dea have made a cottage industry out of “Everything Irish” book and good on them for it. If you don’t find a smile on every page, well sir, there must be something wrong with ye so head on down to the pub to get your fix on and bollix your blues.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before you go out for a hooley and get plastered in a manky kip surrounded by a swordfight instead of the queer bit of skirt you were hoping for, take a look through this wee instruction book of all things Irish! Filled with sayings and folk songs that will have you either scratching your head or fracturing your own rendition of “Molly Malone”, this attractive little book is a humorous look into Irish slang and history. While it doesn’t contain road maps, mentions of where to find the Blarney Stone or directions to the local pub (This is Ireland. Just keep walking; you’ll stumble on one eventually.), this book does contain little gems about why the Irish got the way they are. Whether swinging in or out of sexual repression, banning pornography, dragging their feet about legalizing divorce, the Irish were always fighters and lovers and great ones for craic. That joyous exuberance wings off every page. The clumsy line drawings are an endearing addition and suitable for this ribald celebration of the land of Erin.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is listed as "humor" and I found it to be that and more! But this book has more to offer then that, it gives some langue hints (ie craic) so if you go over there and wander into a pub you will at least know about half of what they are talkn' about. How to cook some food from the Isle and some songs one would hear in the pub or through CDs.

Reading this book I found a lot of words that have come out of my mouth are highly influenced with the Irish slang or even there word for other things (ie spud=potatoes). I have also heard some of the slang/phrases come from people with no drop of Irish but I gather from they words they used that they may of came from a heavily Irish influenced placed. I thought it was fun just to see how much the Irish have placed their mark by just slag/phrases.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a deadly gas little book that is a good read for those interested in Irish culture. It is divided into three sections: Irish slang, sex/love throughout Ireland's history, and Irish recipes. While the topics certainly aren't covered in depth (most of the book is written with tongue planted firmly in cheek), they do contain the right mixture of silliness and interesting trivia.

I had no idea what "craic" was before reading this book, and I can't wait to try out the recipe for Steak and Guinness Pie. It was also amusing to see the look on my wife's face when I called her a fine bit of stuff.

While I'll continue to seek out more serious-minded books to address my curiosity towards all things Ireland, this amusing book is going right on the living-room shelf in me gaff.

[Kirstie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an absolute riot plus it's got some really good recipes in it...LOL

It reads almost like one of those "You might be a redneck..." books except way more colorful and way more hilarious. Of course I am a huge fan of all things Irish anyway so maybe I'm biased.

This book is full of 'colorful' translations, explanations and exaggerations, traditional Irish songs (including Danny Boy) and recipes.
The recipes are what surprised me most and as you read them you get the feeling that your sainted grandmother has passed them down to you.

I was going to give this book as a gift but now it's mine forever!!

[Mark Woodland · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those amusing Christmas gifts from someone. It was an altogether too-short read, since it was screamingly funny. It has three main sections: The first is on Irish slang (80% of which I'd never heard of before), a section on sex (can't go wrong there), and a collection of recipes loaded with snide notes. There are droll cartoons throughout. I think even the non-Irish reader would find this enjoyable. Too bad it only took me 20 minutes to read, but it's one of those that I'll pop out again some time when I need a good laugh.

[Tiffany Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not too sure what to say about this one. It's not funny enough to be hilarious and it's not informative enough to have really learned much. It seems like there's a lot of filler in there - and those sections (the songs, for example) would have benefited from tossing in a little history. I do plan to try a couple of the recipes... but all in all, it's more of the kind of thing one might flip through upon seeing it left out on a coffee table (or the loo). 3 stars

[Douglas Hayes · Rating 1 out of 5]

An attempt at humor - gone terribly wrong. It was bordering on profane, but well within the realm of worthless.

I thought maybe I'd get a little insight into the language and customs of the Irish. Instead, I got childish banter than was in fact disrespectful to the Irish and the English language.

If you ask me nicely, I'll really tell you what I think.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this book twice, but still don't think I'll get away with passing as a local when I get over there - haha! But it was very entertaining! Provided a lot of Irish slang and humor. I did, however, learn all the words to Molly Malone from this book - so that was worth the read!

[J. Bryce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read everything except the lyrics to every Irish song ever (well, not really) and the recipes for every Irish dish ever (well, not really), and I skimmed all the Irish drinks recipes.

Fun, informative, and funny, too! Thanks, Hailey!

[Samantha Shepherd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Birthday gift from Emiy.... I'm sure I will laugh.

I did laugh. It's a cool little ancedote book.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is currently sitting in my bathroom. This is the type of book you want your guests to see and hear them laugh when they visit your rest area. SO FUNNY!

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody hilarious! A tongue-in-cheek guide to Irish culture that doesn't stop at leprechauns and Guinness.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!!!

[Yvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man different cultures sure can be colorful.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun.