Are you Irish, please?

Question

Here where I live in the U.S. we say "Top of the mornin' to you!" on St. Patrick's Day.

First of all, is that really an Irish expression?
Second, is it man to man, or may ladies say it also?
Third, if it is a legitimate greeting, is it used all year around?

Thank you

Answer 1

There is a reference to this greeting in "Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions" by James Bonwick, 1894

"A Scotch writer observes--"The hearty Celts of Ireland say, 'The top of the morning to you."

It may have been an old Irish greeting but it is never used by Irish people now, not even on St. Patrick's Day. It is what we would consider a 'stage Irish' expression and is mostly used by non Irish.

Answer 2

My irish friend abhors that phrase and says that absolutely NOBODY in Ireland says it. Maybe she's just never heard it said, though?

That phrase might be one of those cultural oddities that an irish person said one time or two and so some goofy non-irish person just figured that all irish people say it all the time.

I can't say for sure, because I'm american, but to listen to my irish friend would be to follow her advice never to utter those words (some people laugh silently at you!).

Answer 3

My brother in law is from Gallway Ireland and he mumbles something along the line of "morning". Never heard ONE Irish person say that. Maybe its an old phrase from the 19th century or early 20th and stuck.

Good luck.

Answer 4

I thought that was something they said in scotland. And yeah they(all of em) really say it in the morning and the response for it is."and the rest of the day to you" or something really close to that.