IF we need to research wise old sayings and proverbs then there is no need to look any further than our own abundant Irish heritage and rich culture.
In fact, if you explore this you will find that there is an old expression for practically every experience and in addition, you will also find Irish expressions with very deep meanings that cannot properly be translated into the English language.
If we were to discuss for one minute that great and mighty football warrior Páidí Ó Sé (ar dheis Dé) who got himself into some deep water when he described the Kerry football fraternity as being like animals in their quest for success.
Páidí was a native Irish speaker from the West Kerry Gaeltacht and the Irish translation for animal is ainmhithe which in fact can be a term of endearment.
It is important always to see things with a slightly broader perspective and to explore the background to these phrases.
One of my favourite Irish seanfhocals (old Irish proverbs) is ‘Muna bhfuil ach pocán gabhair agat, bí i lár an aonaigh leis….’ which when translated into English means – if it is only a goat you are selling you have to go into the middle of the market.
This seanfhocal has powerful connotations for the business world because it is important if you are selling a product that you let people be aware of its availability and effectiveness and to promote it in a positive manner and not to be shy of doing this. (There is no real benefit to staying on the periphery of the market!)
I like to spend time in beautiful Lispole which is a little village just outside Dingle and on my travels one time I heard a most colourful expression from a local farmer.
He was watching the intricacies of the workings of a complicate piece of machinery when suddenly he said “buach sé sin ar obair na mbeach”.
I hope I do some justice to the translation, but the gist of it was that he was amazed at what he saw and that it ‘beat the work of the bees’.
The beauty of that comparison is that it opens up all sorts of doors in our mind, especially the wonder and power of nature.
Another classic is ‘Ní dhéanfaidh an saol capall ráis d’asal’ which when translated means that you cannot make a racehorse out of a donkey – perhaps the more familiar English proverb with the same meaning is ‘ You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear’.
Basically make do with what you have and not to be expecting too much!
I love to travel back to Dingle where one is bound to pick up on these seanfhocals. In fact on the wall of O’Flaherty’s public house you will find many of them on display on the wall (a nice pint of Guinness at the same time always seems to enhance the depth of the experience!).
One of them being ‘Aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile’ which, when literally translated, means ‘one beatle recognises another beatle’ – this is a further example of where the real meaning can get slightly lost in translation and it is often used when someone is introducing two great characters saying “ah yes it take one rogue to recognise another rogue!”
Other sayings are;
• ‘Ná déan dánaíocht ar an bhfarraige’ – Respect the sea
• ‘Ní breac é go mbíonn sé ar an bport’ – It isn’t a trout until it’s on the bank – don’t count your chickens!
• ‘Is gliobach í an chearc go dtógann sí a hál’ – the hen has ruffled feathers until she has reared her brood – meaning a mother’s work is never over.
Next week I am going to write about the ‘Beautiful Powers of Nature’
