By: Molly Muldoon | Published Wednesday, January 9, 2013, 7:46 AM | Updated Wednesday, January 9, 2013, 7:46 AM
Brenda Fricker as Mrs Brown in 'My Left Foot'
There is nothing like an Irish mammy and nothing better than their wit and wisdom. Inspired by the guys at TheLineIreland, who took to the streets of Dublin to ask people for what they learned from their mammies, I had a whip around the office and asked for some opinions.
1. “Sure who’ll be looking at ya anyway?” There is no decency in vanity, stand tall and ignore the judgmental glare of others.
2. “Don’t leave the house without clean underwear, in case you get run over by a bus” There were not many buses in Roscommon, but I knew what she meant. Hygiene is important and personal hygiene a must.
3. “Be grateful for your own lot” Possibly one of the most important and difficult lessons to learn, to be content with what you have, for there will always be greater and always those who are less well off.
4. “Your health is your wealth” Despite employing this mantra for life, the words usually fail to find resonance until we find ourselves under the weather. Truer words could never be spoken.
5. “It’s not considered a cup of tea unless there is milk in it” In Ireland tea is the solution to many of life’s great problems. Despite having an ample supply of both Barry’s and Lyons teabags here in NY, nothing compares to a hot drop of tea at home. There is nothing like hearing the click of the kettle before your mother drops the welcome words “tea anybody”. _____________________ Read More: Mothers’ tears as their kids leave Ireland behind
6. “I would give you the bit out of my mouth" Irish mammys and most mams in general have to be the most selfless breed who inhabit earth. Happy to give you the clothes of their back, their sense of giving is eternal.
7. “Be a good host” Father Ted’s Missus Doyle took it to an whole different level, but my mother and all of her sisters (and come to think of it my sisters) are the best hosts going. A bit also rubbed off on my brother too! If you invite someone to your home, make them feel welcome.
8. “Never go to a house with one arm as long as the other”. From the other angle, if someone invites you to their home, never show up empty handed (you should be carrying something, so both arms are not the same length!). It’s the gesture, even a pack of biscuits (aka cookies).
9. “I will wash your mouth out with soap” Still something my mother catches me on, don’t be vulgar. There is nothing endearing about a lady with a filthy mouth.
10. “Eat everything on that plate” My mother taught my about stamina, endurance and stomaching things you don't like. My brother taught me how to hide my left over crusts behind the toaster. --What do you learn from your mother? Tell us below...
On uneaten food: " You'll follow a crow for that, one day!" On morality: "Tell the Truth and shame the Devil!" - trouble was; the priest was teaching me not to bring shame on anyone ... and I always felt a bit sorry for the poor oul' Divil, everyone picking on him - blaming him for everything! - Give him a break!
~~~ Excellent Post, Molly and terrific Comments too. ~ Great to see the lovely pic of my early schoolmate Brenda Fricker. She was always so full of fun and bursting with talent!
thebear85 | Sep 04, 2011, 01:34 PM EDT
"Keep your legs closed and your options open"
spitfire | Sep 04, 2011, 07:26 AM EDT
great story
KathleenBerrio | Sep 03, 2011, 11:00 PM EDT
PICK THE DIVIL OFF THAT FLOOR...in other words, clean your room.
macalister | Sep 03, 2011, 10:33 PM EDT
Something on your plate you wern't keen on - you'd get "Be glad you've got it.There's thousands of wee childer who would be happy to lick where it lay"
tombegs | Sep 03, 2011, 07:53 PM EDT
Exiting the afternoon mission (reserved for women and children) Mom and her firends were commenting on the Passionist Father's Hell fire and brimstone sermon on marriage. By then I was the eldest (at 7) of her five childern and she was 42. Real auld school Irish,
It took me years to comprehend the gleeful laughter that followed her words:
I wish I knew as little about the subject as he did.
Never again provided authority with unconditional respect.
RobbCobb | Sep 03, 2011, 05:38 PM EDT
Just before any date I'd go on, my mother would say "keep you hands in your pockets and your zipper up", then as I'd be backing out of the drive, she'd stand on the front porch miming, pulling up the zipper on her pants and stuffing her hands in her pockets.
Trealach | Sep 03, 2011, 05:14 PM EDT
While chastising me, she would say in a staccato voice "Who.. do.. you ..think.. you.. are!!?" to which I replied "I'm your son mom!" ... "Don't you back answer me!!" .... and for the rest of my life I grew up uncertain and confused - lol
Liamkeyes | Sep 03, 2011, 04:28 PM EDT
It's typical of Grafton Street, It's what it is on that fine throughfare.
McNamara31 | Sep 03, 2011, 03:04 PM EDT
Tea...The answer to all of life's problems! I lost my own mom 7 years ago. How I wish I could share a cup of tea with her today.
phinsman | Sep 03, 2011, 01:07 PM EDT
Having grown up in a family of nine children, our mother couldn't manage all of us all the time, which allowed all of us to grow up very independent… I figured out how to do my own laundry, how to cook from scratch, how to clean, how to do my homework by myself, and many other ways to manage my life. When I went to college, I felt very confident being on my own.
biggles008 | Sep 03, 2011, 12:48 PM EDT
My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .
'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me.'
biggles008 | Sep 03, 2011, 12:37 PM EDT
My mother taught me LOGIC.
'Because I said so, that's why .'
happyfeet | Sep 03, 2011, 12:05 PM EDT
would hear this nearly every morning..
"get down on yer knees and thank God yer still on yer feet."
Pittsburghkid | Sep 03, 2011, 11:37 AM EDT
No one in my family ever put milk in tea, but we put milk in coffee. My father taugh me respect by saying, "back of me hand to you". That is all he had to say, and I stopped what I was doing wrong, or face the back of his hand. If my father though I was being cheat, then he'd say that man is stealing from you. No shades of gray with Dad. As we'd pass the smoke coming from the chimney of a steel mill my Dad would say, "That smoke puts food on our table".
biggles008 | Sep 03, 2011, 11:18 AM EDT
My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
'You are going to get it when we get home!
biggles008 | Sep 03, 2011, 11:16 AM EDT
My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
'One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.'
biggles008 | Sep 03, 2011, 11:15 AM EDT
. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
'Stop acting like your father!'
pounder | Sep 03, 2011, 10:57 AM EDT
Don't ride home on the back of the donkey.....in other words, don't get to plastered at the pub.
SeamusMor | Sep 03, 2011, 10:21 AM EDT
"If you're gonna be a whore, be expensive!"
ellenfromcork | Sep 03, 2011, 10:11 AM EDT
Ahh, thank you Sparklet. I need to move into the 21st century.
ellenred | Sep 03, 2011, 10:07 AM EDT
my Irish American father always said, "Ring the bell with your elbow, because your arms should be full of goodies you're bringing with you." My grandmother always made me a "cup of tae" not until years later did I learn she used the Irish word that HER mother taught her.
Sparklet | Sep 03, 2011, 09:56 AM EDT
Electric kettles click.
ellenfromcork | Sep 03, 2011, 09:49 AM EDT
Molly, about #5, what do you mean by "the click of the kettle"? I've never heard a kettle click, whistle yes,click no.
beaumax99 | Sep 03, 2011, 09:47 AM EDT
OH BOY...SUCH FOND MEMORIES. @ANCHORA, I TOO WISH I COULD HEAR THOSE WORDS AGAIN. THE FUNNY THING IS, IS THAT I NOW SOUND NOT ONLY LIKE MY PARENTS, BUT I AM THINKING LIKE THEM TOO.
anchora | Sep 03, 2011, 09:37 AM EDT
LOVE IT! LOVE IT! love it!.....
WHAT I'D GIVE TO HEAR THOSE WORDS AGAIN........
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Towngate | Sep 05, 2011, 04:43 AM EDT
On uneaten food: " You'll follow a crow for that, one day!" On morality: "Tell the Truth and shame the Devil!" - trouble was; the priest was teaching me not to bring shame on anyone ... and I always felt a bit sorry for the poor oul' Divil, everyone picking on him - blaming him for everything! - Give him a break! ~~~ Excellent Post, Molly and terrific Comments too. ~ Great to see the lovely pic of my early schoolmate Brenda Fricker. She was always so full of fun and bursting with talent!
thebear85 | Sep 04, 2011, 01:34 PM EDT
"Keep your legs closed and your options open"
spitfire | Sep 04, 2011, 07:26 AM EDT
great story
KathleenBerrio | Sep 03, 2011, 11:00 PM EDT
PICK THE DIVIL OFF THAT FLOOR...in other words, clean your room.
macalister | Sep 03, 2011, 10:33 PM EDT
Something on your plate you wern't keen on - you'd get "Be glad you've got it.There's thousands of wee childer who would be happy to lick where it lay"
tombegs | Sep 03, 2011, 07:53 PM EDT
Exiting the afternoon mission (reserved for women and children) Mom and her firends were commenting on the Passionist Father's Hell fire and brimstone sermon on marriage. By then I was the eldest (at 7) of her five childern and she was 42. Real auld school Irish, It took me years to comprehend the gleeful laughter that followed her words: I wish I knew as little about the subject as he did. Never again provided authority with unconditional respect.
RobbCobb | Sep 03, 2011, 05:38 PM EDT
Just before any date I'd go on, my mother would say "keep you hands in your pockets and your zipper up", then as I'd be backing out of the drive, she'd stand on the front porch miming, pulling up the zipper on her pants and stuffing her hands in her pockets.
Trealach | Sep 03, 2011, 05:14 PM EDT
While chastising me, she would say in a staccato voice "Who.. do.. you ..think.. you.. are!!?" to which I replied "I'm your son mom!" ... "Don't you back answer me!!" .... and for the rest of my life I grew up uncertain and confused - lol
Liamkeyes | Sep 03, 2011, 04:28 PM EDT
It's typical of Grafton Street, It's what it is on that fine throughfare.
McNamara31 | Sep 03, 2011, 03:04 PM EDT
Tea...The answer to all of life's problems! I lost my own mom 7 years ago. How I wish I could share a cup of tea with her today.
phinsman | Sep 03, 2011, 01:07 PM EDT
Having grown up in a family of nine children, our mother couldn't manage all of us all the time, which allowed all of us to grow up very independent… I figured out how to do my own laundry, how to cook from scratch, how to clean, how to do my homework by myself, and many other ways to manage my life. When I went to college, I felt very confident being on my own.
biggles008 | Sep 03, 2011, 12:48 PM EDT
My mother taught me MORE LOGIC . 'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me.'
biggles008 | Sep 03, 2011, 12:37 PM EDT
My mother taught me LOGIC. 'Because I said so, that's why .'
happyfeet | Sep 03, 2011, 12:05 PM EDT
would hear this nearly every morning.. "get down on yer knees and thank God yer still on yer feet."
Pittsburghkid | Sep 03, 2011, 11:37 AM EDT
No one in my family ever put milk in tea, but we put milk in coffee. My father taugh me respect by saying, "back of me hand to you". That is all he had to say, and I stopped what I was doing wrong, or face the back of his hand. If my father though I was being cheat, then he'd say that man is stealing from you. No shades of gray with Dad. As we'd pass the smoke coming from the chimney of a steel mill my Dad would say, "That smoke puts food on our table".
biggles008 | Sep 03, 2011, 11:18 AM EDT
My mother taught me about RECEIVING . 'You are going to get it when we get home!
biggles008 | Sep 03, 2011, 11:16 AM EDT
My mother taught me about JUSTICE. 'One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.'
biggles008 | Sep 03, 2011, 11:15 AM EDT
. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. 'Stop acting like your father!'
pounder | Sep 03, 2011, 10:57 AM EDT
Don't ride home on the back of the donkey.....in other words, don't get to plastered at the pub.
SeamusMor | Sep 03, 2011, 10:21 AM EDT
"If you're gonna be a whore, be expensive!"
ellenfromcork | Sep 03, 2011, 10:11 AM EDT
Ahh, thank you Sparklet. I need to move into the 21st century.
ellenred | Sep 03, 2011, 10:07 AM EDT
my Irish American father always said, "Ring the bell with your elbow, because your arms should be full of goodies you're bringing with you." My grandmother always made me a "cup of tae" not until years later did I learn she used the Irish word that HER mother taught her.
Sparklet | Sep 03, 2011, 09:56 AM EDT
Electric kettles click.
ellenfromcork | Sep 03, 2011, 09:49 AM EDT
Molly, about #5, what do you mean by "the click of the kettle"? I've never heard a kettle click, whistle yes,click no.
beaumax99 | Sep 03, 2011, 09:47 AM EDT
OH BOY...SUCH FOND MEMORIES. @ANCHORA, I TOO WISH I COULD HEAR THOSE WORDS AGAIN. THE FUNNY THING IS, IS THAT I NOW SOUND NOT ONLY LIKE MY PARENTS, BUT I AM THINKING LIKE THEM TOO.
anchora | Sep 03, 2011, 09:37 AM EDT
LOVE IT! LOVE IT! love it!..... WHAT I'D GIVE TO HEAR THOSE WORDS AGAIN........