What is the origin of the term 'Luck of the Irish'?

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It is an ironic phrase. The Irish have been, and are a spectacularly unlucky race.


Absolutely.This ironic phrase is misused so often it is embarrasing. The "luck of the Irish" is BAD luck, as any reading of Irish history will document. When I did my Master's thesis on Irish references in the American language, I found the original and proper use of this irony goes clear back to the Old Country and migrated to America early on. Nowadays many speakers and writers -- even the supposedly erudite ones -- misuse the phrase to imply GOOD luck. Let these misinformed (and misinforming) folks eat only potatoes for a few decades -- if any potatoes can grow in their fields. A similar twisting common in modern American usage is the expression "I couldn't care less." The original and proper form of this expression is "I could care less?" with a question mark. But because writers began to forget the question mark, stuffy grammarians began to insist on "I could care less" in order to communicate the intended meaning. --Irish scholar.


Some trace the origin of the phrase to the US where, during the exploration for gold in the West, there were a high number of Irish people who got lucky, and found their "pot o' gold" in the gold fields of California, or were equally prosperous in silver mining.



Luck of the Irish does owe its origin to the U.S.A.. When they arrived, they were very disliked, treated badly, despised and hated. When the Irish had any kind of success most Americans at the time didn't think the Irish were capable such successes, so they called it luck. Hence the term "Luck of the Irish".

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First answer by ID0409211484. Last edit by Irish scholar. Contributor trust: 0 [recommend contributorrecommended]. Question popularity: 303 [recommend question].