… of an Irish mind.
author of wellness books and books about Irish culture.
Ní mar a shíltear a bhítear is an old Irish proverb that translates as things aren’t always as they seem and while this proverb is often utilized to announce that ‘appearances can be deceptive’, a closer translation might put it as ‘not every imagining is real’. It reminds me of cognitive behavioural therapy. So here […]
MoreThere is a wonderful old saying Leig an donaschundeiridh, a n-duil s’ nach d-tiocaidh se choidche – Leave the bad luck to the last, in hopes that it may never come. That is just pure optimism from the Irish psyche. We Irish often forget owing to our history that we are essentially a positive people. […]
MoreThere are many ways to talk about the weather but there are may insights in thinking about the weather. One of my favourites is from the Irish proverb Ní bheidh sé ag fearthainn i gcónaí – It won’t always be raining. Some might say that’s a brave statement to make in Ireland, where four seasons […]
MoreThere is the old Irish proverbial wisdom that states ‘Is feárr an mhaith atá ná an dá mhaith a bhí – Better the good thing that is than two good things that were’. It not only advocates avoiding nostalgia or sidestepping prompts to rumination but it advocates dealing with the reality of now, the positivity […]
MoreThere is an old Irish proverb that states ‘Is dóchas an dochtúir de gach anó – hope is the physician of every misery’. It is a reminder that a glimmer of hope is often the first flicker of that light at the end of the tunnel. Normally I am not a fan of the word hope, […]
MoreThe Irish have a great tradition of pilgrimage – to take sacred excursions into nature, walk around a holy well, visit a blessed lake, gather at a venerated tree or woodland, climb a sanctified mountain. One such sanctified mountain is Croagh Patrick, in Mayo which is locally nicknamed the Reek and has been climbed as […]
MoreThere is the mighty proverb – Is fear leath builín ná bheith gan arán – Half a loaf is better than to be without bread. There is good eating, in pondering that. There is more than eating, in living it. Do you actually count your blessings, do you measure out your attainment/awareness, do you ever […]
MoreThere is a old Irish proverb Níl leigheas ar an gcathú ach é a mharú le foighne – There is no cure for regret but to kill it with patience. I have always loved the idea of it but it has taken on strong significance in recent times. The world is anticipating a surge in […]
MoreOne my favourite old sayings is Tuar an t-ádh agus tiocfaidh sé – Predict good fortune and it will come. Irish optimism at its best. This seanfhocail says fortune/fate is a self-fulfilling prophesy. Envisage it as good and it will come good. Start as you mean to go on. Intent can manifest destiny, intent can […]
MoreThe keen is a function performed at an Irish wake. Performed is the correct word, for the caoine or caoineadh is a mourning ritual in the form of a prolonged vocalised cry or wailing of grief. Most often it is a chorus of lamentation conducted by a group of women, mixed with the air of […]
More