I like weerover's definition. It circumvents the "stage ploy" concept that makes 'irony' a tool for deception and/or distraction (a 'between humans' kind of thing...) and brings it to what I would call it's essential meaning... the heavenly mockery that fate provides... or karma if you will...

I feel that it's profoud meaning is prostituted when it is used as a staging vice for the manipulation of human relations... Hmmmmm? ttr