Think you don't know any Irish? You already do! Irish expressions abound within the English language. Perhaps you know someone with the gift of blarney. Maybe you've been to a potluck dinner, engaged in a boycott, or been pushed beyond the pale. If you've tied the knot, that can really take the cake.

Those are English expressions from Ireland yet Irish Gaelic has likewise made its way into our lexicon. If a young lad were truant (truaghan) at school, his dear old mother could wail like a banshee (bean-sidhe) and bother (bodhraigh) him about it, and even accuse him of being a hooligan (houlihan) or an idiot (which you might hear pronounced as "eejit"). He might hear a slew (sluagh) of complaints or have his chances of reprieve blown to smithereens (smidirín). The consequences would be dear.

See how Irish phrases and words insinuate themselves galore (go leor), formally and as slang? And to learn Irish is to think Irish, in all its lyrical beauty. Whether you'd like to learn basic phrases or wish to pursue deeper study of the language, the Austin Gaelic League has something to offer.

Contact the Austin Gaelic League today about classes in Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Irish. Email austincng@aol.com.