We Stole That from the Irish Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bog

Bog comes from the Irish or Gaelic word "bogach" meaning soft ground. Bogs are muddy wetlands also called quagmire or mire. Bogs consist of moss, peat and other dead plant material and are known to be very thick and difficult to travel or walk through.

Answer: Clock

The Old Irish word for bell is "clocc" and refers to how Irish missionaries would ring bells at certain hours of the day. Several other languages have similar words for bell and they all originate from the Old Irish.

Answer: Leprechaun

The word leprechaun loosely translates to small body from the Irish word "leipreachan" or "luprachan". In Irish lore, leprechauns are little mischievous fairies associated with rainbows and pots of gold. The stereotypical appearance of leprechauns wearing all green and having red hair and beards is a relatively recent development based on Irish stereotypes.

In Irish lore, leprechauns had many different looks.

Answer: Kibosh

To "put the kibosh" on something means to end it. The word kibosh comes from the Irish word "caidhp bhais" which is the black hood that is placed over the heads of condemned men and women before they are hanged.

Answer: Whisky

The Irish phrase "uisce beatha" translates to "water of life". Whisky is a strong fermented alcohol made from grain and traditionally associated with Ireland and Scotland.

Answer: Banshee

Banshee comes from the Irish word "bainsídhe" which can mean either female fairy or woman of the fairies. In Irish mythology, banshees are associated with a loud wail that is said to signal an upcoming death.

Answer: Slogan

Slogan comes from the Old Irish word "sluagh-ghairm" meaning battle cry. Other possible origins of the word come from a combination of the Old Irish words "slog", "slougos", "gairm" "garman" meaning army, troop, cry and call respectively. Slogans originated as war cries but nowadays, slogans are usually catchy sayings used in political campaigns and advertising.

Answer: Shamrock

Shamrocks and clovers have long been associated with Ireland. The three-leaf variety is the most common while the four-leaf clovers are said to bring good luck. The word shamrock comes from the Old Irish word "semroc" which means clover.

Answer: Phony

The word phony, meaning fraudulent, comes from the Irish word "fainne" which means ring. It came about through a popular confidence swindle involving rings where a trickster would sell unsuspecting people gold rings that were really made of brass.

Answer: Smithereens

The Irish word "smidrini" came to be the English smithereens. "Smidrini" means tiny fragments. Smithereens is mostly commonly used colloquially in the English language such as in the phrase "blow to smithereens".