- The Irish mix wit and wisdom the way they do whiskey and water, and to the same intoxicating effect. Irish wit is an art form that can be sage, silly, insulting, or profound, but it"s always entertaining. "The Wee Book of Irish Wit & Malarkey" is a pint-sized draft of potent mirth and malarkey from Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift, Brendan Behan, and many other wags, including "yer man" - your everyday son of the sod - on everything from love and marriage to death and dying and everything in between.