PROVERBS AND POPULAR
SAYINGS

(Continued from December)

26. A Clare version of the “four winds”
(Mr. Hayes):

Gaoth anduaidh, bíonn sí cruaidh, agus bain-
eann sí uain as caoiribh,
Gaoth andeas, bíonn sí tais, agus cuireann
sí an raith ar shíoltaibh,
Gaoth anoir, bíonn sí treis, agus cuireann
sí feilc ar dhaoinibh,
Gaoth aniar, bíonn sí dian, agus curieann
sí iasg chu' tíre.

(From “Seandún,” Cork.)

27. Mar bhíodh an nimh ar an aithne = as fate
would have it (an expression of
strong feeling at meeting a serious
disappointment). Cp. Trí Bior-
ghaoithe, 98, 30, is de sin atá an sean-
fhocal go mbí neimh ar an aithne, and
because of that, we have the old say-
ing that “there is pain in pro-
hibition.”

28. Ná cuir druim choidhche le haon nídh acht
le dul go hIfreann.

Do not turn your back on anything
but on going to hell.

29. Tá siad buadhartha thall agus ní sos abhus
dóibh é.

They are troubled beyond, and they
are not at peace here.

30. Ní fhuil aon sgeul achrainn gan ceann
réidh air.

There is no vexed tale but has a clear
ending.

31. Díogha gach síne sioc (díogha pronounced
dí).

The worst of all weathers is frost.

32. Fuadar laithighe sioc.

Frost is the fore-runner of mud.

33. Lá saoire 'sa 'gheimhreadh, agus a throsgadh
'sa bhfoghmhar.

A holiday in winter having its fast in
autumn (i.e. All Saints).

34. Seacht seachtmhaine reamhra ó Shamhain go
Nodlaig.

Seven fat weeks (54 days) from Hallow-
tide to Christmas.

35. Names of days: Lá Fhéile Muire na
gCoinneal 'sa 'Teampall, the Puri-
fication, Candlemas; Lá Fhéile Muire
'sa 'bhFoghmhar, Lady-Day in harvest.

36. Fo-ceann, “an odd one.”

37. “Do chaitheas féin tréimhse am'stalca,
agus ní fiosach do aon-ne' cad ba thruaig
dam,” “I spent some time apparently
dead, and no one knew what had
occurred to me,” words of Tadhg
O'Síothcháin, a Macroom poet of 60
years ago.