# How convicing is this fake Irish accent? Best/worst Irish accents by American actors? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 13, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347 "2009-03-13T17:27:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/21 "2009-03-14T03:11:06Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Do you mean that they don’t commonly use that specific word in Ireland, or that they say it differently? opporChoonity, Choosday etc. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/22 "2009-03-14T03:25:49Z")
What about the “me,” as in, “me lucky charms,” and “me name’s Ryan,” etc. Is this something the Irish actually say, or is it just stereotypical BS? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/23 "2009-03-14T03:37:16Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > What about the “me,” as in, “me lucky charms,” and “me name’s Ryan,” etc. Is this something the Irish actually say, or is it just stereotypical BS? Me is used in that way but not universally here and often ironically. “Where’s me jacket?” is often said in Dublin but I’m not so sure about in other regions. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/24 "2009-03-14T15:22:17Z")
I’m not Irish and hardly an expert, but I love the Irish accent, and I work with some (real) Irish theatre groups so I hear it fairly often (like last night, for example). That dude’s accent from the clip is bad not because it’s overly broad, but because it’s totally inconsistent. He goes in and out of it - it sounds like a total mash. FWIW, one of the Irish guys I talk with a bit uses “me” instead of “my” fairly regularly. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/25 "2009-03-14T20:20:03Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > As for the second part of the OP, Brad Pitt isn’t bad at Irish accents despite what some have said about his voice in _The Divil’s Own_ and his Traveller accent (a specific minority within Ireland/Britain) is great. I was going to ask about this. I remember when the movie came out some people were very critical of Pitt’s accent in Devil’s Own. I think it was \*Entertainment Weekly \*that talked to Irish immigrants who said he did a very good job. It was just that Americans are more used to hearing a more southern or neutral accent and Pitt was trying for a Belfast accent. From around the same time, my nomination for worst Irish accent: Richard Gere in _Jackel_. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Dodgy_Dude)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/26 "2009-03-15T02:35:50Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Me is used in that way but not universally here and often ironically. “Where’s me jacket?” is often said in Dublin but I’m not so sure about in other regions. **An Gadaí** Can you shed any light on the expression “Jay-sus howl”? I have an uncle in Kerry who says that all the time. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/27 "2009-03-15T02:47:39Z")
> [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](#): > > **An Gadaí** > > Can you shed any light on the expression “Jay-sus howl”? I have an uncle in Kerry who says that all the time. I’ve never heard that expression before, presumably you know Jaysus is a variation of Jesus though. I say Jaysus all the time but never with howl after it. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Dodgy_Dude)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/28 "2009-03-15T15:47:48Z")
Thanks, **An Gadaí**. Maybe it’s a Kerry expression. Anyway, putting the thread back on course: Another vote here for Kate Hudson’s Irish accent in About Adam. I thought it was excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/29 "2009-03-15T15:58:09Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > What are you talking about? Watch this. > > “Boy howdy.” > > “Y’all.” > > “Grits” > I got it down pat, I’m telling you. Ya mout cou’d deevelop y’self a South’n aiccent theyuh if y’work on aiyit, son! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/30 "2009-03-17T04:15:31Z")
> [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](#): > > Thanks, **An Gadaí**. Maybe it’s a Kerry expression. > Anyway, putting the thread back on course: > > Another vote here for Kate Hudson’s Irish accent in About Adam. I thought it was excellent. I wonder if it doesn’t refer to Jesus’s hole, i.e. one of the stigmata. I’m really just engaging in wild speculation, but I think it could be. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/31 "2009-03-17T04:28:33Z")
> [@mutantmoose](#): > > Where did the accent in Fargo come from? Brainerd, Minnesota. Little in _Fargo_ happened in Fargo, North Dakota. Not that the accent is all that different. It starts a bit north of Madison, Wisconsin (FAR too cosmopolitan) and, thanks to a resettlement project in the 40s, clear up to Wassilla, Alaska. I’ve said it before but, as a kid born in St Paul, Minnesota, I was glad to find a movie where the people didn’t sound funny. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/32 "2009-03-17T10:57:19Z")
> [@Trom](#): > > Not to hijack this too much, but I’ve been curious. I grew up in northern Minnesota, where the people speak the purest form of English. Is that a whoosh or a genuine belief? I’m struggling to decide, what with non-linguists like Bill Bryson spreading confusion and lies about the language amongst the American people. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/33 "2009-03-17T10:58:21Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > What about the “me,” as in, “me lucky charms,” and “me name’s Ryan,” etc. Is this something the Irish actually say, or is it just stereotypical BS? For what it’s worth, the me/my substitution was very common where I grew up in the UK (Warwickshire) in the eighties. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/34 "2009-03-17T13:55:42Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Skip ahead to 10:44 in [this clip](http://www.imdb.com/video/sony/vi13566745/) from Charlie’s Angels, with an Irish jockey (played by the ill-fated John David Carson.) I don’t know any Irish people, but his Irish accent sounds pretty unconvincing and over-the-top (the actor is American.) How realistic is it? What is he doing wrong? Something about it just sounds like the Lucky Charms leprechaun instead of like a real Irish person. What are those little details in the inflection and stuff that make an Irish accent sound either real or fake? > > Are there any American, or otherwise non-Irish actors, who can pull off a realistic Irish accent? Dude, it’s Charlie’s Angels. I doubt the actor was even supposed to be attempting a real Irish accent - more likely he was going for the Lucky Charms pisstake on purpose. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/35 "2009-03-17T14:29:38Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Brainerd, Minnesota. Little in _Fargo_ happened in Fargo, North Dakota. Not that the accent is all that different. It starts a bit north of Madison, Wisconsin (FAR too cosmopolitan) Oh, it’s in Madison, too, rest assured. Take it from someone who just moved there and finds it… slightly grating. ---
**Author:** ![davekhps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@davekhps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davekhps)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/36 "2009-03-17T14:34:06Z")
FYI, I believe that it’s a standard Hollywood trope that it’s easier for Brit and Irish actors to do American accents than vice versa. Especially southern American accents. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/37 "2009-03-17T14:37:59Z")
How about Kevin Conway as Sgt. Kilrain, the older man in this scene from _Gettysburg_? Always sounded good to me, but IANAIrishman: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRB2dGI1vRM&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRB2dGI1vRM&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/38 "2009-03-17T16:05:41Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Is that a whoosh or a genuine belief? I’m struggling to decide, what with non-linguists like Bill Bryson spreading confusion and lies about the language amongst the American people. Heh. I should have included a ;). ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/39 "2009-03-17T20:41:10Z")
To the OP, goodness knows. I would be hard pressed to imitate anything more than a few words in a Cork accent and pretty badly at that. I’m not doing too well with a Northern Irish accent either, a few people in my daughter’s estate and places besides have asked me if I’m English after speaking to me :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347/40 "2009-03-17T20:54:30Z")
This seems like the place to ask this. There’s a police officer in **Hot Fuzz** that speaks in a really thick accent, the joke being that Sergeant Angel can’t understand a word he says. In one scene they bring him along to talk to another character with a similar accent. Are there people with an accent that thick, and can British people understand him easily? [Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM45TACI4H4)’s part of the scene for reference. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-convicing-is-this-fake-irish-accent-best-worst-irish-accents-by-american-actors/489347.md?page=3)