Read more: A guide to how to understand Irish speak or slang
The Irish are known for their wit, wisdom and storytelling ability, many of which has manifested in the form of Irish proverbs.
IrishCentral has comprised a rundown of some of the best (and some of the worst) of these classic nuggets of advice. So grab a cuppa tea, perhaps a wayward friend in need of some guidance and settle down with these Irish words of wisdom.
The ones you probably heard from your Irish mother:
She may have told you these time and time again, but you probably had to figure them out for yourself…
It is sweet to drink but bitter to pay for.
It's often a person's mouth breaks his nose.
You never miss the water till the well has run dry.
A cabin with plenty of food is better than a hungry castle.
There is no fireside like your own fireside.
The most accurate:
Not romantic, not cynical – just realistic…
There are no unmixed blessings in life.
Beware of the anger of a patient man.
Every dog is brave on his own doorstep.
A friend's eye is a good mirror.
You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your father was.
The funniest:
Whether these are true, false or just don’t plain make sense, they’ll be sure to get a giggle out of you…
If a cat had a dowry, she would often be kissed.
One may live without one's friends, but not without one's pipe.
Women do not drink liquor but it disappears when they are present.
Everyone is sociable until a cow invades his garden.
Never bolt the door with a boiled carrot.
The most confusing:
Anyone have a clue on what these mean? Let us know…
Put a beggar on a horse and he'll ride it to hell.
What butter or whiskey does not cure cannot be cured.
The skin of the old sheep is on the rafter no sooner than the skin of the young sheep.
A hole is more honorable than a patch.
There never was an old slipper but there was an old stocking to match it.
The worst:
So bad, they deserve individual commentary…
Work without end is housewife's work.
Last time I checked, it ain’t no man’s world anymore
Talk of the devil, and he will appear.
So I guess this means the actors in “Dogma” are going to hell
A change of work is as good as a rest.
Speak for yourself – I’d say most of us need a vacation every once in a while
It is better to be lucky than wise.
Better for who? Lotto winners? What about the lotto curse?!
Sense does not come before age.
Perhaps not, but sense sure doesn’t come WITH age
Only the rich can afford compassion.
See: “A cabin with plenty of food is better than a hungry castle”
Read more: A guide to how to understand Irish speak or slang
5 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.phearne | Nov 10, 2011, 09:07 AM EST
My half Irish/half Choctaw grandmother was always saying "Well,they have the same drawers to get glad in!"Took me years to understand what the quote meant.
cuffeprice | Oct 24, 2011, 03:58 PM EDT
You asked if we had any ideas on the most confusing. So here are my thoughts on: Put a beggar on a horse and he'll ride it to hell. 1.) My thought is that you are giving something worthy to someone who hasn't earned it. Therefor, instead of using the horse to work or earn for himself, he would to us an american prover "drive it like the car was stolen". What butter or whiskey does not cure cannot be cured. 2.) there are two meanings I see to this, one, butter will feed you and whiskey will make you feel warm, also, they can be used together in form of a "hot toddy" a drink given to the sick to help them sleep, sweat out the fever, not cough as much and heal quicker. Therefor, if it can't heal someone, espescially before modern medicine, it's not likely to be healed. The skin of the old sheep is on the rafter no sooner than the skin of the young sheep. 3.)several ideas on this, but the one i'd state is that, young or old, our actions and wisdom keep us alive as long as possible, both have their good and bad points, most young survive to be old, but either way the time to go home is the time to go home, then the harvest of your life can be reaped. Like the skin of a sheep. So just live your life to the best and fullest of your ability, no matter the age. A hole is more honorable than a patch. 4.) again several ideas, but a hole was worked for and it is evident, however, a patch doesn't always fix an issue, it just covers it up. Making it less honorable than the hole that was earned. There never was an old slipper but there was an old stocking to match it 5.)Does anyone have old slippers? or are they best or favorite slippers instead? however, we don't hold the same value in stockings. Thusly, somethings hold value to us no matter their age, while others of the same age, do not. Anyway, those are some of my thoughts. I'd love to hear yall's thoughts on my thoughts. lol. Have a great one and be blessed or better yet Dia dyet!
turzovka | Oct 24, 2011, 03:46 PM EDT
The more proper wording is "Give a beggar a horse and he'll ride himself to hell." The victim is the rider. Not unlike an updated version "Give a teenager his own car and he'll ride himself to hell." In other words, he will seek out a lot more trouble with the availabilty to get to it so much easier. TRUE!
Siobhan39 | Oct 24, 2011, 10:29 AM EDT
These bits of wisdom are not exclusive to the Irish. Many have been used by folks with different backgrounds for many years. What is Irish is to grab these little sayings and claim them as Irish!
AengusOg | Oct 23, 2011, 11:51 AM EDT
Wisdom does not come before age, but it doesn't always come with it, either. Experience is a masterful teacher. "Put a beggar ..." One who is unprepared for good fortune will make a mess of it. "A hole is more ..." Be unpretentious and retain your pride. "Only the rich ..." Rich is a relative term in a nation that is being starved to death. A farmer with a few turnips may appear rich to a parent with children dead and dying. It is salve for the conscience of the survivors in such dire situations.