Sir, – Many people cast doubt on the Gaelic origins of the word craic, and point to the influence of the Ulster Scots crack as the ultimate source.
It is at least possible, however, that creach meaning a raid, and capable of meaning a raid carried out by young highland men as a display of prowess, might be an origin in Scots Gaelic for the word crack. Loudness and boastfulness are associated with that kind of thing.
There is a tendency for the Irish to absorb foreign words and phrases which originate in the Gaelic languages, and craic is a conspicuous instance of this. – Yours, etc,
FRANK FITZPATRICK
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Dublin 8.