A book that caused consternation among those who found the contents offensive and lacking in 'Irish values', when the manuscript was first circulated in 1999. As the author writes in the preface, "There is no such thing as bad language. It is raw speech and it comes from the essence of what makes us who we are, and is often colorfully manifested in idiom, common parlance, and slang." Garry Bannister, the author of numerous language courses and Irish dictionaries, has a wide knowledge of both Irish literature and Celtic folklore. He has extensive experience teaching Irish both in Ireland and internationally.