Historical Irish Corpus
1600 - 1926
Historical Dictionary of Irish
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Proverbs and Popular Sayings.
Title
Proverbs and Popular Sayings.
Author(s)
Féach bailitheoir,
Compiler/Editor
Mac Néill, Eoin
Collector
M'Cabe, Daniel
Composition Date
1894
Publisher
Connradh na Gaedhilge
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Set Dates
1600
1926
PROVERBS AND POPULAR SAYINGS. (from Mr. Daniel McCabe, Banteer, Cork.) 78. Ní'l luibh na leigheas i n-aghaidh an bháis. There is neither herb nor physic against death. 79. Ní rin' mé lámh láidir ar aon ghear riamh, achd do dheunfainn í iadhadh do'n bhrathadóir. I never acted with a high hand to any man, but I would deal a closed hand to the spy. 80. Nuair stadann an síoladóir, stadann an fhuirse, agus 'nuair stadann an píobaire, stadann an port. When the sower stops, the harrow stops, wand when the piper stops, the tune stops. 81. 'Nuair laguigheann an lámh, laguigheann an grádh. When the hand weakens, love weakens. 82. Árd-ríoghacht Dé, gan duadh ní dual go bhfachtar. God's high kingdom, without diffi- culty, it is not likely to be attained. 83. 'Siad na seodaidhe i gcluasa na muc iad. They are pearls in swine's ears. 84. Sliseoga do'n tsail cheudna iad. They are chips of the same beam. 85. 'Sé teacht an tseagail é, teacht fada mall. It is the coming of the rye, a long late coming. 86. 'Sé ordughadh na caillighe, mar is áil léi féin. It is the old women's order, as it pleases herself. (from “Mac N.,” Galway.) 1. Ní hairighthear fosgadh na toime go mbíonn sí imthighthe. The shelter of the bush is not noticed till it is gone. 2. An té nach gcleachtann an mharcuigheacht dearmadann sé na spuir. He who is not used to riding forgets the spurs. 3. Is maith an bádóir an fear bhíos ar an talamh. The man on the land is a good boat- man. 4. Beatha do dhuine a thoil, dhá dtéidheadh sé (do) chodladh 'n-a throsgadh. A man's eill is his sustenance, should he go to bed fasting. 5. Ní thigeann olc i dtír nach fearrde duine éigin. No evil comes ashore but somebody is the better of it. 6. An té chailleas a chuid, cailleann sé é. He who loses his share, loses it. 7. An rud is goire do'n chroidhe, is é is goire do'n bheul. What is nearest the heart is nearest the mouth. 8. Itheann cat ciuin féin im. 9. Ní lia tír 'ná gnás. There are not more lands than customs. 10. Ní liathaidh tír ná gnás. Neither land nor custom grow old. (from Tuam) 11. Is fearr leo suaimhneas ar shop 'ná buaidh ar chnoc. They prefer peace on a wisp of straw to victory on a hillside. <L 140> (from N.B., Mayo.) 12. A beggar described the fare of a certain house as:— 'Rán mór leathan ar bheagán taois Mug mór fada agus bainne fada shíos. A great broad cake of little dough, A great deep mug and milk far down. 13. Tá mo sháith agam anocht agus tá Dia go maith le haghaidh an lá (lae) amárach. I have enough to-night, and God is good for to-morrow (said when there is just enough at table). 14. Instead of Dia linn, when an infant sneezes, I have noticed that they say baisdeadh leat. They use a word in a rather contemptuous way for bathers, fámuididhe or fámuídhe fairrge (fámuiridhe about Galway). (From Mr. N. O'Leary, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick.) 15. Ní bheith ar meisge is leisge liom Acht leisge meisge d'fheiscint ann. It is not that I am reluctant to be drunk, But reluctance that drunkeness should be seen. 16. Teine Chill' Mocheallóg, fód agus leath- fhód. The Kilmallock fire, a sod (of turf) and a half-sod. 17. Ní hí an aingcis acht an tarcuisne leanann í. It is not poverty but the contempt that follows it. (From Fíonán O Loingsigh, Kilmakerin, Cahirciveen.) 18. Do sgríobh file éigin an cheathramha so shíos ar cheithre radharcaibh aoibhne i n-aice Chille Áirne:— Is aoibhinn leamhain maidin cheodhach, Is aoibhinn feoráin Locha Léin, Is aoibhinn faithche Dúnaló, Is aoibhinn Achadh Dá Eo le gréin. 19. Moladh Mháire Ní Dhuibh ar Ghleann Chárthaigh le fear do bhí dá cheannach nó dá thógáil ar chíos uaithe:— Tá cois abhann síos ann agus cois abhann suas ann, Tá foithine an lae fhuair ann agus fionn- fhuaradh an lae the. 20. So tuarasgbháil an fhir ar an ngleann ceudna, tar éis a fheicsint do — Tá basgadh 'n-a lár agus bá i n-a bhun, A chúil 'san ngréin agus a aghaidh san tsioc. (from Domhnall O Súilliobháin, Ciarraighe.) 21. Ar m'éirghe amach ar maidin, do bhuail an bhean ruadh liom, ch'nnoc (= do chonnac, I saw) an gearr-fhiadh dubh ar an ndrúchd, agus chuala (I heard) an chuach am' chúl, agus ann sin d'aithneas féin ná héireochadh an bhliadhain sin liom (signs of ill-luck with the super- stitious). On going out in the morning, I met the red woman, I saw the black hare on the dew, and I heard the cuckoo behind me, and I knew then that that year would no succeed with me. 22. Aifreann Dé ná tréig le faillighe, Agus déirc le deagh-chroidhe deár- nuigh (= deun), Mar mhaithfidh Mac Dé go leir do pheacaidhe, Tar éis na haithrighe tháinig. (Fragment of a beautiful hymn popular with the peasantry.) God's Mass forsake not through negligence, And alms-deeds with good heart do, As the Son of God will wholly forgive your sins After the penitence that has come (from you). 23. An té na bíonn a leas ar maidin roimhe, ní bhíonn sé tráthnóna. Whose bettering is not before him at morning, it is not at evening. 24. Le heagla bheith bocht, bí comhnaidheach. For fear of being poor, be settled. 25. Another version of rann na gceithre ngaoth: <L 141> Gaoth andeas, bíonn sí tais, agus cuireann rath ar shíoltaibh, Gaoth adtuaidh, bíonn sí fuar, agus cuireann sí fuacht ar dhaoinibh, Gaoth aníar, bíonn sí dian, agus cuireann sí iasg i líontaibh, Gaoth anoir, bíonn sí dubh, agus cuireann sí sioc 'san oidhche.
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