Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(W.I. Rasta) pleasing, powerful, euphoric; orig. in the context of the sensations that followed smoking cannabis; thus used as an affirmative greeting.

1980		M. Thelwell Harder They Come 290: Irie, irie, irie! Star-bwai to raas. Tonight a fe me night, yes.
1992		V. Headley Yardie 51: Iree, Jahman.
1994		M. Montague Dread Culture 82: I really like down deh. Iration Dread really irie.
1999		(con. 1979–80) A. Wheatle Brixton Rock (2004) 212: Wha’appen, skipper? T’ings irie?
2002		L.K. Johnson ‘Street 66’ in Mi Revalueshanary Fren 10: Western did a scank an each one lawf: / him feelin irie, dread I.
2002		‘Touré’ Portable Promised Land (ms.) 161: We Words (My Favorite Things) [...] Crimey. Irie. Sprung.
2005		R. Cea No Lights, No Sirens 37: ‘Yah, Officer, every-ting irie. Don’t fuckin’ wet me up, every-ting cool running’.
2007		D.S. Mitchell Killer Tune (2008) 74: ‘Tings is cool and irie,’ the King reassured him.
2017		Globe & Mail (Toronto) 4 Aug. 🌐 She rolls her eyes at the lazy non-black patois speakers, the ones who say [...] ‘Everyting is irie’ with a cartoonish accent.