And here is sarcasm, which is different from irony:
“Can you speak up a bit. I think there are some people in the neighbouring town who didn’t quite hear you”
Why does irony have to have such a specific definition? Because, well, that’s what it means, silly. I always use Ozymandias by Shelley as a great example of irony:
“Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” This is the sort of unintended poignancy that is described by the term “irony.” If that’s not what you mean, you need to find a different word–no sense complaining about the usage police quite correctly pointing out the misuse of the word. Words mean what they mean, not what we want them to, and all that…
Okay, I’ll make sure to literally consult you before I ever use a word: apparently common usage and a dictionary are no longer enough.
Or maybe I could care less.
Oh, that’s Guy de Maupassant’s the “Necklace.”
Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And he died in a car crash on the way to the airport
Now that would be ironic,
don’tcha think.
Thanks! I couldn’t remember de Maupassant to save my skin. Great story that’s stayed with me for over about 40 years.
Eh, I think it’d be even more ironic if a plane crashed into his car.
The thing about that song is that it’s supposed to be about irony yet lists things that aren’t ironic - isn’t that in itself ironic? Woah, that’s deep.
I’m reminded of this MC I saw freestyling for 60 seconds about his allocated word - ambiguous. He’s saying stuff like, “What kind of word is that? I don’t know what this shit is. Ambiguous?” I thought - hah, what a moron, he doesn’t even know what the word means. But then I realised it was unclear whether he was talking about not knowing what the word means, or not knowing what something else is because it is ambiguous. In other words, his entire performance was ambiguous.
Which just goes to show that the line between genius and stupidity is far thinner than I ever realised. Ironic, no?
No.
It’s like turning 98, winning the lotto-and then dying the next day. Doncha think? 
BTW, did anyone see Christmas Eve on Sesame Street as a child, or with your kids? Bert and Ernie end up doing the whole “Gift of the Magi,” only with Rubber Ducky and Bert’s paper clip collection.
You mean like this t-shirt? http://site.despair.com/despairwear/ironic/?sort=bestseller
I have one of these. Everyone loves it.
ETA: Nevermind. +1 to what **Allwalker **said. I think Alanis whooshed us all; or at least that’s the story she should go with.
Lemony - full of lemon.
Go on, argue your way out of that one!
Oh man I so want one. I was actually ripping off King of Queens when Aurthur got in that argument about how he thought ironic meant it was full of iron.
Well can you name anything that’s full of lemon that isn’t lemony?
That’s what I said, no.
I was being ambiguous. 
Feel free to consult me on all matters where you’re confused. I’m happy to share my wisdom. And common misuse does not render something proper.
Then why did you post?
Obviously, because he could care less. Which means he must care a lot, or at least some, otherwise he would have said he couldn’t care less.
Except that “could(n’t) care less” is a commonly given example of the way idioms and words both change over time to assume new meanings, sometimes the opposite of their original meaning. It’s not irony, it’s language drift. See also: ambivalent.
In other words, you got whooshed, my friend. Or I just did; one can never be quite sure where whooshes are concerned.
I can’t, um, really define irony, but I know when I see it!
Lelaina: I mean, these job interviews, Troy… The word “vivesection” a staggering understatement. I mean, can you define irony?
Troy: It’s when the actual meaning is the complete opposite from the literal meaning.
Lelaina: My God, where were you when I needed you today?
/Reality Bites
So yeah, The Gift of the Magi is not ironic.
A few years ago, some British doper started a thread asking why Americans don’t understand irony. His example of Americans’ incorrect use of the word? That Alanis Morrisette song.
That was ironic.