Craic versus Crack

**Quack** · 02/04/2004, 9:42 PM

I always find the use of the word "craic" a bit odd. It's quite recent, in the last ten years or so, and smacked of pseudoIrishry to me. This link seems to confirm it. The wonderfully named Ian Parsley suggests its Scandanavian rather than Irish....

**Plastic Paddy** · 04/04/2004, 3:23 PM

Originally Posted by Quack

I always find the use of the word "craic" a bit odd. It's quite recent, in the last ten years or so, and smacked of pseudoIrishry to me. This link seems to confirm it. The wonderfully named Ian Parsley suggests its Scandanavian rather than Irish....

Weirdly enough, I have always used "crack" as that's how it had always been written when I was a young lad. i think the O'Neills' pub chain in England have a lot to answer for here.

Craic my arse! If you'll pardon the pun...

PP

**Peadar** · 05/04/2004, 8:23 AM

I can't see what the problem is.
So what if the word has Scandanavian origins?
Many cities and towns in Ireland were formed by the Vikings and with that, many traditions emerged. I'm sure the harp wasn't invented in Ireland either but it's still a national symbol. Knockers for the sake of knocking if you ask me.

**Macy** · 05/04/2004, 8:42 AM

Could it be the rise of the drug crack lead to a way of differentiating?
The crack was mighty, and highly addictive..... The craic was mighty but I was so drunk I can't remember.