Is irony the right word?

[CDWilder]

A man does a lot for others: donates money to many diverse organizations, volunteers his time, etc etc. One would say he has a good heart.

However, he has been diagnosed with an cardiac condition that will one day kill him (thus, he has a bad heart).

However crude it may seem, would you call this ironic? If not, what word would you use to describe this situation?

Thanks for any input.

 

[Stella_Omega]

"he has a good heart/he has a bum heart"

yeah, that can be irony

 

[lovecraft68]

I would say so, yes. reminds me of that Alanis Morrisette song.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Lincoln said that irony is making an ox an honorary bull.

 

[StrangeLife]

Having an irony wife spares you the humiliation of wearing wrinkled shirts...

 

[sr71plt]

Having an irony wife spares you the humiliation of wearing wrinkled shirts...

Not to mention having a source for horseshoes if the nag throws one.

 

[TE999]

I thought irony was a similar condition to Housemaids Knee.

 

[Handley_Page]

A man does a lot for others: donates money to many diverse organizations, volunteers his time, etc etc. One would say he has a good heart.

However, he has been diagnosed with an cardiac condition that will one day kill him (thus, he has a bad heart).

However crude it may seem, would you call this ironic? If not, what word would you use to describe this situation?

Thanks for any input.

I think a lot of this is semantics, as well as local use of the language.

If someone is 'good' one would say he is "good-hearted", or maybe "his heart's in the right place."
One might be said to be "in good heart" if able & willing in the face of a difficult job or task.

To say; "he has a bad heart" would not be said too often over here.
The description of his heart condition would usually be quoted as a medical phrase; "he has heart disease" or similar.