Guerilla Gaeilge: The Irish Hidden in Our English

Undercover Irish Podcast

In this episode of Undercover Irish, we explore how Hiberno-English contains hidden grammar, structures, and ways of thinking that come directly from Gaeilge. From phrases like "I do be" and "I'm after doing" to "ye / yiz / youse" and the Irish habit of answering questions without yes or no, this episode argues that Irish is hiding in plain sight inside English.

This is not just a linguistic curiosity. It's a story of survival, resistance, mockery, and internalised shame, stretching from colonial schools and the bata scóir to the caricature of the Stage Irishman on the English stage.

What This Episode Covers

• Why "no one I know speaks Irish" isn't actually true
• What Hiberno-English is — and why it has many influences
• Why the Gaeilge-derived parts deserve their own name: Guerilla Gaeilge
• The ember metaphor: Irish as a language that smouldered, not died
• Grammar features in Irish English that come straight from Gaeilge:
  • "I do be…" (habitual present from bíonn)
  • "I'm after doing…" (after-perfect from tar éis)
  • "Ye / yiz / youse" (plural you from sibh)
  • Verb-echo answers instead of yes/no
• How Irish speech was mocked through Stage Irish stereotypes
• Early examples like The Irish Hudibras (1689)
• How ridicule and punishment created internalised shame
• Why recognising Guerilla Gaeilge changes how we teach and talk about Irish

Why "Guerilla Gaeilge"?

"Hiberno-English" is the broad academic term for English as spoken in Ireland, shaped by many influences — English, Scottish, global English, class, and migration.

But Guerilla Gaeilge is the name given in this episode to something more specific:

The Irish grammar, syntax, and worldview that survived inside English despite punishment, mockery, and suppression.

It's not broken English.

It's camouflaged Irish.

Recommended Reading & Resources

If you want to go deeper into Hiberno-English and Irish-English linguistics, these are excellent starting points:

• Raymond Hickey – Irish English: History and Present-Day Forms
• Markku Filppula – The Grammar of Irish English
• Terence Dolan – A Dictionary of Hiberno-English
• Jeffrey Kallen – Irish English: Volume 1 & 2
• Tomás de Bhaldraithe – works on Irish influence on English syntax
• P.W. Joyce – English As We Speak It in Ireland (classic 19th-century source)

For accessible Irish language learning and everyday usage:

• Gaeilge Guide with Mollie – practical, modern Gaeilge for real life

Follow & Support Undercover Irish

If you enjoy the podcast and want to support independent Irish history and language content:

• Patreon – bonus episodes, early access, behind-the-scenes content
• 👉 patreon.com/undercoverirish
• Instagram – clips, language examples, visuals, and episode updates
• 👉 @undercoverirish

Sharing the episode, leaving a review, or rating the podcast helps more than you might think — it keeps these stories alive and visible.

What's Coming Next

🎄 A Christmas special episode — seasonal, strange, and very Irish

🔎 A five-part true crime mini-series, rooted in Irish history, silence, and power

Stay tuned.

Final Thought

If you listen closely to how people speak in Ireland,

you'll hear it.

The embers.

Still glowing.

Still alive.

Guerilla Gaeilge.