"For the Craic"

Ireland is a country with a rich cultural history, centered around the countryside, past and current belief systems, and the former language of the island. "Irish," as this branch of Gaelic has been deemed, is still taught to students through secondary school, although most people here speak English and little to no Irish at all. However, there are a few little linguistic gems that have made it into mainstream speech here, my favorite being the word "craic."

"Craic" basically means fun, but somehow has a more abstract meaning than that. It's often used in the phrase "for the craic," as in "all for the sake of having a good time." I think the fact that this word, out of all of the lovely Irish words in existence, has made its way into the mainstream English of the area is very indicative of the values deeply rooted in the culture. No matter how awful the economy is, or how dreary it can get outside, you never need to justify going out to have a laugh with your friends. In fact, the latter seems to be thought of as a staple for everyday life.

The Irish have been through a lot, and are still going through some pretty heavy stuff, but it's given them strength and it's made them fighters. But to be clear, I don't mean this in any violent sense. As sappy as this may sound, I think that this whole idea of throwing all the drudgery of the current climate out the window and having a beer with friends shows how strong they are. Because, unlike many places in the world, they never, never lose their community when things get rough. I think this sense of community is inherent in ideas like doing something "for the craic," which assumes that you'll be enjoying the company of others.

You can sense in everything how proud they are to be Irish and to be associated with the community and strength within Ireland. I think this shows up most in their culture of hospitality and their culture of living for the good times, both of which they are held accountable for by the very notion of what it means to be Irish. No self-respecting Irishman would deny a man directions or turn down the chance to have a good chuckle. The Irish can find the good everything, and they live for that good with everything they've got.