How to do an Irish accent: 7 sounds that make it believable

Short answer: to sound Irish, pronounce every R, turn TH into a soft T or D (three sounds like "tree", that like "dat"), let the T at the end of words go soft and breathy, use a clear L, keep the vowels in day and go short and pure, and give your sentences a long, musical rise and fall. Practice the seven changes below, then check yourself with the free Irish accent test.

First, pick which Irish accent

Ireland has many accents. General Irish English, the accent of national radio and TV and of most educated speakers, is the one this guide teaches. Dublin speech is quicker and has its own vowels; Cork is famous for its sing-song melody; and Northern Irish accents, such as Belfast, are a different family altogether, closer in some ways to Scottish English. If you're preparing a role, find out which one the character is from.

How to sound Irish: the 7 changes at a glance

1. Keep every R

Unlike southern English, Irish English is rhotic: the R in car, water and first is always pronounced. It's softer and lighter than an American R, with less curling of the tongue. Just don't drop it.

2. Turn TH into a soft T or D

This is the best-known Irish feature. Outside the north, many speakers make TH as a T or D with the tongue touching the teeth, not the ridge behind them: three sounds close to "tree", think to "tink", that to "dat". That's why it sounds softer than a normal T. If you're practicing the contrast the other way, see the TH pairs in minimal pairs.

3. Soften the T at the end of words

In southern Irish English, a T at the end of a word or between vowels becomes a soft, hissy sound, sometimes called the "slit T": what, but, it and water end in a breathy whisper rather than a crisp stop. It's not a glottal stop, as in London or Glasgow, and it's not an American D sound.

4. Use a clear L

Irish English uses a "light" L everywhere, made with the front of the tongue. American and most English accents use a "dark", hollow L at the ends of words (feel, milk, all). Keep the Irish L bright, even at the end.

5. Keep day and go short and pure

Like Scottish English, Irish English doesn't glide on these vowels: day, rain and say use a pure "eh", and go and home a pure "oh". Lock your jaw for the length of the vowel.

6. Round the cup vowel

Words like cup, but and love use a rounder, more central vowel than in American or British English, closer to the vowel in put. Don't overdo it: halfway is enough.

7. Let the melody carry it

Irish English has a long, musical line: sentences rise and fall more than in American English, and the voice often lifts in places a listener doesn't expect. In casual speech, -ing becomes "-in'" (going → "goin'"). Listen before you copy: the melody is easier to absorb than to explain.

Irish accent words and phrases

Irish English has its own everyday vocabulary and some grammar borrowed from Irish (Gaelic). A few you'll hear constantly:

And one that you won't hear: top o' the morning. Irish people don't say it, and using it marks you as an outsider.

Irish vs Scottish accent: how to tell them apart

Both are rhotic and both keep day and go pure. The tells:

• TH: Irish English often says "tree" for three; Scottish English keeps TH.
• T: Irish English softens a final T into a hiss; Scottish English swallows it into a glottal stop.
• The throaty CH in loch is Scottish.
• Melody: Irish English sings in long rises and falls; Scottish English is more clipped.

More on the other side: how to do a Scottish accent.

Irish accent practice script

Read it slowly three times, then record yourself at normal speed:

Ah, sure look, it's only a bit of rain. I'll be over around half seven, so. Are ye still going to that thing in town? I thought it was on Thursday, but Mary says it's tonight. Either way, it'll be great craic. I'm after telling the others already.

What to listen for: R in over, are, Thursday, Mary, either, after, others; TH as a soft T or D in thing, thought, Thursday, the, others; a soft, breathy T in bit, it, that, thought, great; pure vowels in rain, so, great; the clear L in I'll, it'll.

Common mistakes

1. The stage Irish voice. A leprechaun impression with top o' the morning and begorrah isn't an accent, it's a cliché.
2. Dropping the R. Irish English is rhotic. Without the R you'll sound English.
3. Turning TH into a hard T everywhere. The Irish T for TH is soft, made on the teeth.
4. Overdoing the lilt. A constant sing-song is as unnatural as a flat monotone. Copy a real speaker's melody.
5. Mixing in Northern Irish or Scottish sounds. Pick one accent and stay with it.

How to practice: a 2-week routine

Ten minutes a day, as a beginner or as an actor preparing a role:

• Days 1–7: one change a day, in the order of the table. Listen to native speakers for 2 minutes (national radio and TV presenters, or actors such as Saoirse Ronan, Cillian Murphy or Paul Mescal speaking in their own accent), then drill the words and the phrase, then record yourself.
• Days 8–14: the whole script, every day. Shadow an Irish speaker for 5 minutes, then record the script and run it through the Irish accent test to see how close you are and which sound to fix next.

Other accents to try

• How to do a Scottish accent, a British accent and an Australian accent.
• All accents compared: the English accents hub.

Sources

• Wikipedia — Hiberno-English: rhoticity, TH-stopping, the slit T, clear L
• Wells J. C. — Accents of English. Cambridge University Press, 1982