And many happy returns to you and yours Louise! Nollaig shona dhaoibh from the My Irish Jeweler team here in Ireland.
Twelve Days of Irish Words and Phrases: How to say cheers in Irish
Written by Ciaran on Dec. 05, 2024 | 4 Comments
We are on day 5 of our Twelve Days of Irish Christmas. Inspired by that traditional carol, and the funny Irish version, Christmas Countdown, we're bringing you Twelve Days of Irish Christmas (Words).
How To Say Cheers In Irish?
A tipple at Christmas is a near-universal treat. Whether you enjoy a cup of tea, cocktails, punch, wine, or whiskey with friends and family, learn how to say cheers the Irish way!
Cheers in Irish is sláinte (slawn-che), which directly translates to health. You will hear this one in pubs around Ireland, followed by a quick clink of glasses! And if you're feeling very merry, you might up the stakes and say sláinte is táinte (slawn-che iss toin-che), to toast health and wealth. This toast isn't used as commonly.
Traditional Irish Festive Drinks
You won’t find much eggnog here in Ireland, but Guinness certainly flows freely at this time of year, and Dadaí na Nollaig is frequently left a pint of The Black Stuff or a glass of whiskey with his cookies rather than milk. At least, that's how it is in our house!
Photo Credit: Puamelia (CC BY-SA 2.0)
There will be gallons and gallons of tae (tay) consumed around Ireland over Christmas with all the house calls to be made. And a bottle of wine, fíona, (Fi-un) or perhaps whiskey, uisce beatha (ish-ka bah-ha), is a popular host gift for any house you visit over the Christmas period.
Whiskey is also the main ingredient in a now traditional tipple at this time of year. An Irish Coffee is perfect for when there’s a chill in the air! Fancy sipping one of your own? Here is our recipe:
Irish Coffee
Ingredients (for one Irish Coffee)*
- Around 2 tbsp of cold double cream - Shaken or whipped lightly, but still pouring consistency. Definitely no spray cream! You will need enough to provide a decent layer at the top of the glass.
- 3/4 cup hot coffee - Whatever you like, but ideally good, strong, and piping hot!
- 1 heaped tsp sugar - Brown sugar gives a caramel-like sweetness, but any type will do
- 1 measure of Irish Whiskey - Again, everyone has their pick. Paddy’s is ours (a bartender's tip), Powers or Jameson are traditional, and Black Bush can lend a nice spicy twist! And the size of the measure is up to you!
Method
- Heat your glass with boiling water. Just make sure you have your metal spoon in there to prevent cracks or keep turning the glass, especially if it is on the thinner side! You can leave it to stand while you whip your cream. This step is just to keep the coffee piping hot. It can be skipped if you are under time pressure.
- Whip your cream lightly with a whisk. Or use my father-in-law's trick of shaking it up in a half-filled bottle. You want the cream to be thick but still be able to pour it! Please leave it in the fridge until you are ready to keep it cool.
- Add sugar to your empty heated glass and fill the glass ¾ full with piping hot coffee.
- Stir to dissolve the sugar fully. Be sure not to skip this step, or your cream will not float! You won't be able to stir once the cream is in!
- Add 1 measure of whiskey, again giving a gentle stir to mix. Some use Baleeys here instead for an Irish Cream Coffee, but whiskey is the original and best, in our opinion!
- Turn a metal spoon concave-side up inside the glass, holding it at an angle so the tip is at the top of the coffee. Slowly pour the chilled shaken cream over the back of the spoon. It should slide gently down and float magically on top of the coffee. Gently and slowly lift the spoon as you pour, filling the glass to just below the rim.
- Don’t mix! You want there to be two distinct layers - light and dark.
- You can sprinkle the top with nutmeg as a festive flourish, or even a little chocolate for an extra treat. It isn’t at all traditional; my father-in-law wouldn't have it, but some like the little extra.
- Wait for it to cool a little so you don’t burn your tongue on your first sip; this is the hardest step. Enjoy! Sláinte!
* You'll never just make one, so scale up to make some for sharing! Having worked in an Irish bar, I can speak from experience that once a person has an Irish coffee, everyone will want one!
What's Next?
Check back in with us tomorrow for Day 6 of our Twelve Days of Irish Christmas, or open door number 5 of our 12 Days of Christmas offers!
Christmas Gifts To Treasure
Our fine Celtic and Irish jewelry is a gift they will always remember and treasure forever.
Get In Touch
Have a question or something you're not entirely sure about when browsing our pieces? Please reach out. You can send us a note or give us a call—the Dublin workshop is here to make sure that you have a perfect experience from start to finish with My Irish Jeweler.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, to see what's new and upcoming. Join our Email list for early offers and special features.
Ciaran
My Irish Jeweler
Born in Co. Antrim and reared in Dublin, I was fascinated with Gaelic culture from an early age. I suppose it's not surprising given my mother inherited a grá for the Irish language from my grandfather, an Irish school headmaster. And that grá continues! My brother and sister are now Gaelic teachers here in Ireland, my niece is an award winning Irish dancer, and I proudly work to share Irish culture through our Irish and Celtic Jewelry at My Irish Jeweler!
I love researching and reading about the history of Irish design. It's at the core of what we do here at My Irish Jeweler. I find much of it so interesting that I have to share what I find. I hope you enjoy it!
Comments
like to see your selection of rings
Hi Barbara, thanks for stopping by - you will find our entire selection of rings here https://www.myirishjeweler.com/irish-rings/ or by clicking on "Rings" in the blue bar on the top left of this page. If there is a specific style, metal, or type of ring you are keen on, you can also always drop us an email, or give us a call to chat. We would be happy to help you find what you are looking for. All the best from Dublin
Ask Gemma
BEST WISHES !
FROM BOSTON.