The Irish And The Craic

Brendan Curran ✒ with a poem from his expansive body of work.

An Irish word in a sentence, or put in a refrain,

its letters crammed together, can put a conversation aflame

Alone it sounds so empty, it doesn’t always mean the same,

it’s constant use in English can drive the listener insane

But once you get the meaning, and how to put it in a phrase,

you will use it as a greeting, and the ‘craic’ will never be the same

♞♜♝

The craic word can mean anything, and mean so much more besides

If some one even looks at you, you can make the ‘craic’ word snide

What’s the story, with your man over there? Is all you have to say

Sure you know the craic with him, and just look and turn way

♞♜♝

The word has traveled all around the world, where once it was never heard

So I’m gonna tell you all about the ‘craic’, so you can join the Irish herd

when you hear the word craic mentioned, don’t even look or stare

Just smile and nod your head, as if the word ‘craic’ was always there

♞♜♝

People who hear it, love it, they can't stop using it every day,

Did you hear the craic? - what is the craic? - will be all they want to say

Have ye any craic this morning? never heard any craic today,

Sure there is no craic over there, its craic, craic, craic all day

♞♜♝

‘Craic’ is not religious, or political a-tall,

its told up on the Shankill Rd, and its told up on the Falls,

‘Craic’ is the only Gaelic word, that can cross the political divide,

the craic is there for everyone, it doesn’t take a political side

But In Belfast, you're in trouble, if they ask you round the back

and they look at you between the eyes and say, Naigh, listen, here’s the craic

♞♜♝

Belfast, is only place I am certain, and it’s fairly safe to say,

you’ll never hear any craic between the Ra, and the UDA

There is only one other place, this to you I tell,

the only place you don’t want the craic

is down Below in hell

♞♜♝

The ‘craic’ comes with a health warning,

even with a ‘beware’

if you tell the American police ‘you’ve loads of craic’

they will put your ass in stir.

♞♜♝

But In Dublin the craic is ninety, where they drink Guinness night and day

You just walk in to any pub and you’ll immediately hear them say ... what’s the craic?

So many countries produce amazing things, none better I must say

Than the worldwide Irish greeting , ‘what’s the ‘craic’ with you today’.

⏩ Brendan Curran, The Poet Without A Pen.