What's The Craic?

reel

Key signature: Amixolydian

Submitted on October 6th 2004 by gian marco.

This tune has been added to 8 tunebooks.

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

What's The Craic? (reel)

written by me.
BTW... what's The craic?

# Posted on October 6th 2004 by gian marco

"craic" is Irish for "a good time". (Although Zina will insist it's just an Irish spelling of the English word "crack", which is a loud snapping noise or fissure, and not a good time.)

You can use it as a substitute for fun, I suppose, but you have to say "*That was good* craic last night" and not "*I had* craic last night." (Especially if you spell it Zina's way.)

# Posted on October 6th 2004 by Kerri Brown

Hang on, are you asking what 'the craic' is, or are you asking "what's the craic?"

Oh, I'm terribly confused...

# Posted on October 6th 2004 by Kerri Brown

Kerri, thanks for the explanation,
but I know what the craic is, Thanks , I was just asking "what's the craic?"

# Posted on October 6th 2004 by gian marco

Hahahaha! Next time someone says "what's the craic?" to me at a session, I must remember to reply "well actually 'craic' is Irish for 'a good time' and may be substituted for the word 'fun'" LOL!

# Posted on October 6th 2004 by Dow

Maybe gian means "How's the Craic"?

# Posted on October 6th 2004 by Phantom Button

"What's the craic?" or "How's the craic?" mean the same. Or not?

# Posted on October 7th 2004 by gian marco

"How's the craic?" doesn't make sense to me, but perhaps it would to an Irish person. I've heard people all over the UK and Ireland say "what's the crack?" - I've used it since my schooldays to mean something like "what's up?" or "what's the goss?".

# Posted on October 7th 2004 by Dow

I suppose if you're talking about a session you could ask someone "how's the craic?", meaning "is it a fun session in terms of atmosphere and people having a laugh?".

# Posted on October 7th 2004 by Dow

How's the cra** presupposes that you are having some of it right now, but what's the cr** suggests that the cr** might be somewhere else or hasn't quite started.
Anyway I think I grew up more with the "How" than the "Why", but it is so long ago now that I can't be sure of anything except the cr** was mighty in Sydney last weekend and I am still recovering after sleep deprivation, alcohol and flights.
Cheers

# Posted on October 8th 2004 by Donough

I've got another weekend of it just about to start, tomorrow night and then the Sunday again! If you lived in Sydney you'd have to get used to the pace, Donough :-)

# Posted on October 8th 2004 by Dow

What's the crack, at least where I come from, has the same sense as Dow mentioned, i.e. "What's up?" or even just "How are you?". It's really just a shortened form of "What's the crack with you?"

# Posted on October 8th 2004 by Conán McDonnell

You can use it with "how", "what", and "where", but not "who", "why", and "when".

(but to answer gian's original question, "What's the craic?", I suppose the craic right now is discussing what the craic is.)

# Posted on October 8th 2004 by Kerri Brown

You can use when ... e.g. arrive at a quiet, empty session pub, dander up to the bar and say to yer man behind, "How's she cuttin', hoss? When's the crack?" "She's cuttin' quare'n low there, big lad. We might be suckin' diesel in an hour or so. Park yer hole on thon sate there and have a wee jar to keep 'er steady!"

# Posted on October 8th 2004 by Aidan Crossey

Alright, then, so here's a question. If the Irish word "craic" is just an Irish spelling of the English word "crack", what is the REAL Irish word for "fun"? (Ie. what were they smoking before the English brought the crack in?)

# Posted on October 8th 2004 by Kerri Brown

What's the "Craic"?

Have a look at: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=craic

# Posted on August 12th 2006 by slainte