… of an Irish mind.
The saying and direction of ‘Look before you leap’ is proverbial wisdom in many cultures, in Irish it is rendered as Dearc súl sula léim a thabhairt. Yes, cautious vigilance is no bad thing – It may even be the oldest survival advice. This version of looking and leaping is borrowed from the English whom […]
MoreNí mar a shíltear a bhítear – Things aren’t always as they seem is a statement of fact as much as a proverb. It is a true nugget of wisdom from the ancestors. And while this proverb is often utilized to announce that ‘appearances can be deceptive’, a closer translation might put it as ‘not […]
MoreThere is an interesting proverb that pertains to anxiety and worries; Níl aon ghá le heagla roimh neart na gaoithe má tá do chuid choca féir ceangailte síos – There’s no need to fear an ill wind if your haystacks are tied down. It reminds us that there is no need to fret if we […]
MoreThe proverb Is dóchas an dochtúir do gach anó – Hope is the physician of every misery reminds of the undefeated spirit that permeates Irish culture and customs. Hope beats defeatism, hope bolsters resolve, hope works wonders. This proverb has come down to us as hope, but the word dóchas can also mean trust and […]
MoreThe proverb Is caora mhór an t-uan i bhfad – A lamb becomes a sheep if you carry it long enough reminds us that some burdens we may think are light at first can become a much bigger problem. This proverb is a call to drop it and move on. If you don’t drop it, […]
MoreThere is old Irish proverb that states ‘Chan fhuair an madra rua teachdaire a riamh a b’fhearr ná é féin – The fox never found a better messenger than himself’. It is one that reminds how clever the fox is – to be so self-contained and present to his own needs but also wise to […]
MoreThe truth of the Irish proverb As an obair do fachtar an fhogh-luim Learning comes through work is that you can study the theoretics of car mechanics, quantum mechanics, bricklaying or physiotherapy but it is only in the real world of it, comes the confidence and flexing of skills that make one competent at it. […]
MoreThe proverbial wisdom of Níor bhris focal maith fiacail riamh – A good word never broke a tooth reminds us that it is not a bad thing to praise or rejoice. It will not kill you to be nice, it will not ever chip a tooth to let some positivity pass your lips. So […]
MoreThere are several Irish proverbs prompting sleep as a health provider. My favourite one is Tosach sláinte codladh: deireadh sláinte osna – The beginning of health is sleep: the end of health is a sigh. Lets start at the end first. ‘The end of health is a sigh’ – that all too often automatic signalling […]
MoreAccording to the Irish proverb Doras feasa fiafraí, the door to wisdom is asking. And sure, how do you get an answer if you don’t ask the question? And that’s not a zen koan, that’s an immediacy that needs to be comprehended right now, not pondered until a mystical revelation manifests. There is no ambiguity […]
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