The soft vowels and lyrical lilt of the Irish voice is, according to soyouwanna. com, a powerful tool. "How else do you think men with the dreadful faces of Bono and Stephen Rea come to be considered sex symbols?" it asks. They have recently added mastering the Irish accent to their list of important things to learn.

It's all in the voice, apparently, and users of the website are urged to soften their vowels, harden their consonants and lyricise their inflection, in that order.

Irish-accent students are urged to sprinkle the words 'cheers', 'right', and 'c'mere' liberally throughout their conversation. They are told it is important to remember that a fag is a cigarette, a lad is a male of whom you are usually fond, an eejit is an idiot (only harsher) and being knackered is a feeling of tiredness.

The most important word in the Irish dictionary, according to soyouwanna, is 'em'.

"This is the word Irish folk use when pausing to think, " it says.

"It is perhaps the single most commonly used expression in speech, so with this change alone, you can drastically alter your accent."

While Gabriel Byrne and Liam Neeson have been flying the Irish accent flag in the States for a while now, it is young stars such as Colin Farrell, Jonathon Rhys-Meyers and Cillian Murphy who have really made Irishness fashionable in America.

"We are much more aurally sensitive and stimulated than we think, " American behavioural therapist Judi James told the Irish Post.

"Accents, pitch, pace and tone can all be turn-ons or turnoffs. Both women and men prefer a lower register and find deeper notes sexually attractive.

"Unless you spend years practising, you're not going to be able to master the skill well enough to pass it off completely, " warns soyouwanna.

"Instead, what you'll want to do is merely slip a few potent Irishisms into your speech here and there, thereby playing the role of someone whose Irish accent is simply waning after years in America.

This restrained version is easier to pull off . . . and less risky."