How to Put on a Convincing Irish Accent

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You may have the luck of the Irish, but you'd better work on getting the sound.

Step 1: Watch and learn
Listen and learn. The best way to learn any accent is to observe and imitate it. Find speakers with the accent, or look for authentic examples of it in movies or audio recordings.

Step 2: Match inflection
Match the famous lilt, or pitch pattern of an Irish accent. Practice by starting a sentence speaking a little higher than your natural speaking voice, lower the pitch in the middle of the sentence, then raise it slightly at the end.

Step 3: Change the vowels
Change the vowels. Elongate the "aw" sound in words like "father" and "ball," and the "ow" sound in words like "town."

Tip
"Been" is "bean" in an Irish accent.

Step 4: Learn consonants
Learn the consonants. Elongate "r" sounds and pronounce them harder. Pronounce "l" sounds harder and drop the "g" from "i-n-g" endings.

Step 5: Use colloquialisms
Use colloquialisms. "Ossified," "fluthered," and "in the horrors" are synonymous with drunk. If something is good, it's "deadly." If you've ruined something, you've made a "right bags" of it, and the expression "What are you like?" means "I can't believe you're so dumb." Most British colloquialisms are also acceptable.

Tip
Avoid using cliches like "top o' the morning to you" and "blarney" – unless you're in a leprechaun costume.

Step 6: Use it
Take your accent for a test-drive. Just make sure you go where it'll be appreciated, not someplace where it'll seem annoying or like you're making fun. Cheers!

Did You Know?
According to a survey in the UK, the sexiest accent is Northern Irish.

[emermccabe]

Im Irish but all 32 counties have different accents.
And i think every Irish person can agree with me

[sarahmonks]

I swear all Irish accent videos the comments are flooded with Jacksepticeye

[Samnimations]

the funny thing is that I searched "How to speak like a leprechaun"

[patriciat]

Well I'm Irish and I can't decide if the speaker is Irish or not. :/

[kevinconneely]

Every county in ireland has diferent accents
And btw if go into a pub pretending to have an irish accent youll get in a fight we can spot tourists a mile away

[mx-tqzg]

"Cliches like top o the morning" Pls the most Irish youtuber I know that is his intro

[n_ranbows]

If Your from Ireland, Scotland or Cornwall etc. It's quite funny to watch people try and do your accent. ( no offense :-)

[AnimalsGirlful]

 there is 32 counties in Ireland and every single one of them have different accents

[Donalob]

Ease up, shes doing a top notch job I think for a foreign girl. Everything she said was spot on - I'm irish. Show me any other video where someone else is doing it better. Well done Howcast, don't listen to these idiots.

[WellingtonBee]

So my friend wanted me to teach her my irish accent, but she said she's confused on the difference between irish, brit and aussie accent. After thinking for a bit about what the obvious differences are I decide to look it up I come here, and I find the comments loaded with Niall hahaha :) i love it

[Arphaxad]

Really? That's two minutes I'll never get back. "Listen and Learn, " you say. Wow!!!

[TheseProblemsMatter]

I'm irish and I've never heard any one say "you've made a right bags of it"

[dolphantom]

Thanks for the video!!! It's been a huge help!

[beeskneeshoney]

1. im trying to get an accent because my mom said she would be proud
2. because i love niall horan! :D
3. because irish accents are amazing

[clairerockz]

Nice video, it's fun to watch and helpful!

[AslanKyoya]

Yay for norn iron accents!
My grandpa's family came to America from NI, I wish I spoke with a Norn Iron accent.

[oddball]

So, to all of the people on here thinking that this is a bad accent, This is the way you sound to us. It's just like Americans thinking they don't have an accent (regional ones nonwithstanding). We don't think we have one, but other people can hear the difference, and that is what they try to imitate. stop getting down other people's throats about it please.

[mrsFunkyNailss]

i'm part Irish but live in Holland and have a lot of Irish family in Mullingar so I can speak with an Irish accent too yay! haha

[KnucklesEchidna]

With all due respect to the irish people getting so offended, don't. No one is perfect. This is just for fun, not to make fun of.

[phillippabutterworth]

Niall is my baby from one direction got iy x