Leaving quietly out the side door of a party or bar without saying goodbye to anyone. Mostly due to the fact that family or friends would most likely take your keys away for being to intoxicated.
by Scott F from Beantown April 15, 2008
leaving the bar or anywhere for that matter, without closing niceties, like a kiss goodbye to that annoying girl or mentioning something to your friends
by Mangorooni March 29, 2006
When someone makes an exit without advance notice or saying goodbye - thus avoiding any displaying any emotion.
When does Joanna work next? I was hoping to ask her about a shift swap.
Joanna doesn’t work here anymore. She gave us the Irish goodbye. Litterally - she resigned and went to Ireland.
by Chargenurse September 29, 2018
In Germany we call this since a long time a "French Goodbye"! With the exception that this person "forgot" to pay his bill.
"Where's Karl? Who's paying the bill?" "Oh, I think he just did a french goodbye!"(German for Irish Goodbye)
by Bulgur December 29, 2011
1) getting so drunk at a party that one wanders off into the woods to wake up wondering "where's my underwear" and "this wolf lends new meaning to 'coyote ugly'" circa late 19th/early 20th centuries, usually derogatory reference to Irish ancestry and careless intoxication;
2) to do a thing without permission (especially to leave: as to leave a post, charge, elected/appointed office, husband/wife, or social position)
3) other versions:
3 a) the "French leave" circa 18th century English (citation: Merriam Webster: 1768-71) and references a party-goer exiting without properly taking "leave" of the host, often when wine has compromised coherency or motor function, or when disgraced by social or political position, behavior, or opinion;
3 b) filer à l'anglaise (FR) ("to leave English style")
3 c) άδεια από τη σημαία (Greek) ("leave on lowering of the flag (without discharge)") essentially to abandon one's post at nightfall
3 d) despedida a la francesa (Sp) ("goodbye in the French way", "French farewell")
3 e) most European languages reference "in the English way" with dates of common usage suggesting association with derogatory reflection on English civil wars, Welsh conflicts, Irish independence, and even a resurgence of usage with Brexit. Spanish and English reference French with derogatory connotation. English adds Irish, Scotch, Welsh, and Boer.
At the Superb Owl (superbowl mis-spelled) Party last night, John took an Irish Goodbye. We found him in the park. Tomorrow he starts rabies treatment.
by ninth1der February 04, 2022
Reed: "Hey, where is Dodge? He was supposed to buy the next round."
Collin: "I saw him about 20 minutes ago, standing next to the bar, swaying while he ordered a shot."
Reed: "You know what that means. He is probably a mile away by now, stumbling along a sidewalk, on his way home."
Collin: "He is truly the master of the Irish Goodbye."
by Dizzy Bizz April 18, 2010
The act of leaving a social gathering suddenly, and without any word of goodbye to the other attendees.
"Where did you go last night? Last I saw you were at the bar, doing tequila shots!"
"Yeah man, it all got a bit too real, so I pulled an Irish Goodbye, grabbed a taxi home and fell asleep on the toilet"
by Orangutani January 17, 2021