What is Erin go Bragh? Meaning and Origin

What is Erin go Bragh? Meaning and Origin
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Have you ever heard about the slang term ‘Erin go Bragh’? If you have never heard about it, then this might be a sign for you to explore this article.

This term has been used for more than two thousand years before, which is so exciting to be talked about.

Knowing that this slang has been popularized from the European ancestors until now, it is time for us to uncover the original story behind its appearance.

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Contents

What is Erin Go Bragh?

If you are living in Europe, particularly in Ireland, you might have heard about the term Erin go Bragh before.

The spelling of this term can be spelled as usual “erin go bragh”, but sometimes it also can be spelled “erin go braugh”.

This term has a revolutionary meaning for the Irish. It means “Ireland to the end of time”, which was derived from the word “Erin” and “go bragh” or “go brách“.

Erin itself is derived from the origins of Gaelic and has the meaning of “Ireland”, translated from the Irish word.

Meanwhile, the second phrase “go bragh” has the meaning of “until doomsday” or “until the end of the time”.

The use of this term outside of Ireland usually ranges from registers and contexts, and mainly appears in tweets with the article link about this country.

This term is also used in St. Patrick’s Day salutations to cheer and signal all things Irish, even though sometimes it can form a little bit patronizing.

Origin 

As mentioned before, the history of this term was first used thousands of years ago in 1798 during the Irish Rebellion.

During that time, there were a group of the rebels of Irish that protested against British rules and commands.

Unfortunately, all of their hard work and provocative efforts were not successful and they were defeated in a battle.

When they were in a battle, this group used “Erin goes Brah” on their flags and banners to show their love for Ireland.

Hundred years after that, this term then finally came to the United States, approximately during the 1840s.

That term was used by Saint Patrick’s Battalion, a mercenary and U.S. deserters unit of Irish-Americans who fought against the U.S. in the war against Mexican-Americans.

Erin Go Bragh in the Recent Years

In recent years, the use of this term is still applicable on some important days, especially when it comes to Irish people.

Even though people in these modern days don’t really know and aren’t aware of the historical background of this slang, it is still widely used today.

This term is still used as a part of St. Patrick’s Day pop culture. Also, the Irish of descent still love to use this to show their affections to their country.

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Conclusion

Erin go Bragh is one of the most interesting political slang in the history of the world.

Even though there is some dark story behind its first origin, it doesn’t mean that we need to face that dark time anymore.