West Cork Proverbs

Mr. O'Leary

Ní crádh go cloínn (There is no anguish
of soul till one has children, i.e. all anguish
is as nothing compared to that created by
children). Íosann cat ciuin biadh (A mild
cat eats food, i.e., a gentle exterior is no
sure index of what a person's inward feel-
ings may be). Cuir sa chómhra, agus gheóbhthar
gnó de (Put it in the box, and a business will
be found for it, i.e. throw not away what
you don't presently want; it may be useful
hereafter). An té ná tógfaidh cómhairle,
gheóbhaidh sé cómhrac (He who will not take
advice will get a combat, i.e., will have to
encounter difficulties).

Is marig leigeas mac maith le droch-
mháthair (Woe to him who forgets a good
son because of an evil mother, lit., who lets
a good son with an evil mother). Mairg
guala gan bráthair (Woe to a shoulder
without a brother, i.e., woe to him who has
no friend). Tar éis tuigtear gach beart
(When a thing is done advice comes too
late., lit., after (its being done) every deed
is (rightly) understood. When the deed
is done, it is then one knows the conse-
quences. Caitheann gach aonne(ach) géill
eadh dh'á bhacaighe féin (Everyone has to
submit to his own lameness). Tabhair do
chrios do mhnaoi ainfhir agus bí féin ad'
óinsigh (Give the girdle to a marriageable
woman, and be a fool thyself, i.e., what

you need yourself give to another, and
then be — a fool.) Duine 'na aonar duine
gan aonne(ach) (A person trusting to one
is trusting to none, lit., a person in his
one person, a person without anyone).
Tabhair a rogha do'n bhodach agus béarfaidh sé
díogha duit (Give his choice to the churl,
and he will give you the dregs).

NOTE:— Díogha is opposed to rogha: diúgha is also
heard in W. Cork, as atáim anois gan diugha gan
dadaoi (= dadamh).

Is fuar an tigh nach gnáthuighid na fir
(Poor is the house where the men don't
dwell). Ná saoil go m-beidh Síghle ar chois
agat (Don't think till you have Sheela by
the foot = Don't count your chickens before
the eggs are hatched (There is a pun on
saoil).

Ná déan imirc Luan nó Máirt;
Ná Dia-Ceudaoin, lá ar n-a bhárach;
Bidheann Dia-dhardaoin soirbh, sámh;
Is iondual an Aoine ag báisdigh;
Fág an Satharn ag Muire Mháthair
'S imthigh Dia Domhnaigh, mar is é
is fearr duit.

Some versions have in the last line, má's
é is fearr leat, if you prefer this, if you
wish.

This word imirc (in some places imirighe;
compare comairce and comuirighe) is the
word used for a “flitting.” In the Arann
Islands imirc uabhair, lit., “flitting of pride,”
is said when a person without any suffi-
cient reason changes his residence. But
perhaps this is really imirc fhoghmhair, a
harvest flitting. Iondual is a very common
word in the West; is iondual (ooN'-dhoo-
al) amhlaidh, and is often thus. The conse-
cration of Saturday to the B.V. Mary is
very ancient.

An old hymn (Mr. O'Flaherty):

Fuair mé an Phaidir so ó Mháire Lása (Lacy):

Sínim síos mar shín Críost san gcroich,
Brat Muire mar sgaball orm;
A Mhuire dhílis, mo mhíle grádh thú!
Mo liaigh léighis, tinn a's slán thú!
Mo fhíor-charaid ar nuair mo bháis thú!
A Mhaighcean Mhuire, tabhair m'anam slán
leat
Ar do dheas-láimh go cúirt na ngrása.

Tá ceithre coirnéil ar mo leabaidh,
Tá ceithre aingil orra sgartha,
Na trí aingil is áirde i bhflaitheas
A chúmhdach 's a ghárdáil m'anam arís go
maidin.

To test one's articulation, the following
may be said nine times, “without drawing
breath”:— Cearc uisge ar loch uisce, a's í
ag plubáil 's ag plabáil, cia déaraidh naoi
n-uaire é, gan foillighe, gan faillighe?