irishman

Everyday

A man who was born in Ireland or whose family and home are Irish. tree →

In the lessons

Used in history, geography and stories to say where a man comes from; in old jokes «an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman» is a common start, though jokes that mock a nation can be unkind. Today people often say «an Irish man» or «a man from Ireland»; for a woman «Irishwoman», for everyone «the Irish» or «Irish people».

Examples

• The famous writer Oscar Wilde was an Irishman. tree →
• An Irishman ran the little shop on the corner. tree →
• My grandad is an Irishman from County Cork. tree →
• The Irishmen sang loudly after the rugby match. tree →
• Saint Patrick was not born an Irishman but became the saint of Ireland. tree →
• The story begins with an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman on a train. tree →
• ‘Where did you come from, my lad?’ said the Irishman. tree →

Note

Always written with a capital I. Plural: Irishmen (not Irishmans). Usually no capital M in the middle. Jokes about «the stupid Irishman» are old prejudice, not truth.