POPULAR PROVERBS

I. Kerry (from Mr. Deane): — Is fiú an
suaimhneas é a cheannach, peace is worth pur-
chasing. An té bhidheann 'na dhroch-sheir-
bhíseach dó féin, bidheann sé 'na sheirbhíseach
maith do'n duine eile, a bad servant to him-
self is often a good servant to another. Ní
fhaghann an síor-iarraidhe acht an síor-eiteach,
a constant beggar gets a constant refusal
(perhaps an tsíor-iarraidh, constant beg-
ging?) Tabhair-se dhamsa, agus béidir féin
ad'óinsig, give to me, and you yourself
will be a fool. Ní h-eadh i gcomhnuidhe
bhidheann Domhnall Buidhe d'a phósadh, ná
cóir aige air. Is fearr greim ioná buille,
better a grip than a blow. Céiliocán fada
agus uireasbha bróg, dheineann críona an t-ao
óg, a long fast and want of shoes make
young folk sensible. Cuir 'sa chómhra é, agus
gheobhaidh tú gnó de, put it in the chest and
you will find a use for it. Múinfidh a ghnó
duine, a man's business will give him an
education. Nuair bhidheann an rath ort féin,
bidheann sé air do chuid, if you yourself are
lucky, all your affairs will be lucky. Má's
maith in aon chor iad, is maith in éinfheacht
iad, if they are good at all, they are good
together.

II. Clare (from Mr. Brady, Ruan): — Is
treise dúthchas ioná oileamhaint, Nature is
stronger than rearing (training). An rud
ná goidtear, faghtar, what is not stolen is
found. Ní bhailigheann an chloch-reatha a cúnach,
the rolling-stone gathers no moss. (Cúnnach
in Book of Lismore; usually caonach.) Is
geal leis an bhfiach-dubh a gheareach féin, the
raven thinks its young one fair. Ní bhidheann
an sonas gan an donas in orlaighibh trídh,
there's no happiness without some misery
(lit. misery in inches) through it.

III. Kerry (Mr. Lynch, Kilmakerin):—
Is furusda fuine in aice na mine, it is easy
to make bread (knead) near the meal. Is
leor ó Mhór a dícheall, enough (= you can
only expect) from Mor is her best. An
madra ruadh i mbun na gcearc, the fox in
charge of the hens. Is minic tháinic bromach
gioblaach chum bheith 'na ghearrán chumasach,
often a rough colt became a powerful horse.
Tuigeann gach aoinne' a bhalbhán féin, every-
one can understand his own “dummy.”
Fiadhnaise an ghiolla bhreagaigh a bhean, the
witness (to the truth) of the lying man is
his wife. is buan fear 'na dhúthaigh féin, a
man is lasting (strong) in his own country.
Is fearr lán-duirn d'fhear ioná lán-gaid
de mhnaoi, a fist full of a man is better than
a gad-full of a woman. Is fearr an troid
ioná an t-uaigneas, better strife than soli-
tude. Ní ualach do'n fhear a bhrat, ní ualach
do'n each a shrian, ní ualach do'n chaora a
lomra, ní ualach do'n cholainn a chiall, no
load to a man is his garment, nor to the

steed his bridle, to the sheep its fleece, to
the body its reason. (The Connaught ver-
sion is better: ní truimide fear a bhrat, ní
t. each a shrian, ní t.c. a lomra, ní t.c.
ciall, not heavier is a man for his garment,
etc. Sometimes the first line is, ní trui-
mide an loch an lacha, not heavier is the
lake for the duck (that floats in it). Is
feirrde an teachtaire mall druidim 'na
choinne, the slow messenger will be better
if you go meet him. Ní féidir an rud
fhaghbháil ach mar a mbidheann sé, you can't
find a thing except in the place it is. Is
mairg thugas droich-mheas do'n óige, woe to
him who gives bad example to youth.

IV. Some old Gaelic Hymns from Beara,
S.W. Cork Mr. P. O'Leary.

A. When “raking” the fire at night,
the following is said:—

Coiglim an teine so mar choigleann Críost
cách,
Muire ar dhá cheann an tighe, a's Brighde in
a lár,
Gach a bhfuil d'ainglibh 's de naomhaibh i
gcathair na ngrás
Ag cosaint 's ag coimeád lucht an tighe so
go lá.

B. A Mhuire, a gheal-mháthair, mo mhíle
grádh thú!
A's mo mhór-chobhair chonganta as linn
gach gátair,
Mo bhan-liaigh léighis, tinn a's slán, thú,
A's m' urradh breagh beannuighthe i
gcathair na ngrás thú.

V. Proverbs sent by Mr. Lloyd:—

Is feárr fuigheall an mhadaidh 'ná fuigheall
an mhagaidh (Armagh).

This refers to the extreme sensitiveness
of the native Irish to ridicule.

Dearc roime leat so' má (sol má) léim-
fidh tú (Louth), … sol a (Armagh).
Amhairc sol má léimfidh tú (Armagh).
Feuch romhat sol a léimfir (Cork).

Amhairc sol má lubhraidh (labhairfidh) thú,
choose before you speak. (Armagh).

Is comhgaraighe (no foisge) cabhair Dé 'ná
an doras (Armagh).

'Sé deireadh gach luighe (luinge) a báthadh,
'Sé deireadh gach áithe a losgadh,
'Sé deireadh gach cuirme a cáineadh,
'Sé deireadh gach gáire osnadh (Armagh).

Tosach luinge clár, tosach aithe clocha,
Tosach flatha fáilte, tosach sláinte codladh,
Deireadh luinge báthadh, deiradh aithe losgadh,
Deireadh flatha cáineadh, deireadh sláinte osna.

Mar gheall air féin ghabhas an cat luchóg
(Armagh).

Fuaraigh sol a n-ólfaidh tú (Armagh).

Cruthuigheann sé go maith an té chruthuigheas
go sciobtha (Galway and Mayo).

He acts well who acts quickly.

Níor dhóirt donóg mórán ariamh (donóg, a
stingy, miserly woman, Galway).

She never spilt much, because she never
went near filling the glass.

Tá na fataidhe do-bhainte, do-phiuchta,
Do-nighte, do-churtha síos;
Tá an mhóin ar an b-portach,
Agus an pota leigion thríd (Galway).

An excuse made by an inhospitable
bean-tighe.

Is ionann le chéile an baillséire 's a
ghiolla,

A chonách sin ort, mar dubhairt Seághan
Muimhneach le n-a mháthair, agus ní raibh
sí lá tí (ní) b'fheárr ó shoin (Mayo).

Béidh gach dream d'a dtiocfaidh ag dul i
mine a's i mbreugaighe,

A's gach am d'a dtiocfaidh ag dul i bhfliuiche
a's i ndéidhionaighe (Béara, Co. Cork).

ANOTHER VERSION

Ní'l líne d'a dtig nach dul i mine agus i
mbréagacht,
Ní'l foghmhar d'a dtig nach dul agus bhflicheacht
(no bhfliuchadh) agus i ndéidheanacht (S.
Galway).

I dtosach na h-aicíde is féidir a léigheas
(Kerry).

Ní'l ins an saoghal so acht tréimhse mí-
ádhmhar,
A's ní'l cuntas (no fios) ag éinne(ach) ar
ó 'ndé go dtí 'márach (Munster).

Tá sé ag borradh 's ag at
Ar nós na gcat (West Cork).

Is éasgaidhe an neoin 'ná an mhaidin,