The Great Company of Cork People

The people of Cork have developed their own distinctive accent, that can be quite incomprehensible to first time visitors.

The speed of the speech , its intonations, and slang, is quite unique. Some say it's a legacy of Shakespearian English (the centre of Cork was once an English garrison town), others say that Carribean patois has had a major influence - Cork has been a major shipping port for over a thousand years.

Cork also has a very strong French influence , thanks to the Huegenot French refugees who settled in Cork in the 17th century - some say that the characteristic stubborness and independent spirit of Corkonians is a legacy of this.

I'll part with some Corkonian slang:

"G'wan boy , ya langer like" - "No. I really do not believe what you are saying"

"See dat beor over dere like - she's a right flah like" - "Look at that beautiful girl over there"

"I got completely slaughtered last night like" -"I was very drunk last night"

"Dat club was rockin' like" -"That night club played some very good dance music"

"C'mere boy, du know ya wan like?" -"Excuse me, but do you know that girl?"

"He's a hard sham like" - "You would not want to get into a fight with that male"