This year, the Republic of Ireland is celebrating a century of independence. I promised myself last year that I would be in Dublin for the celebrations, but the best laid plans …
Instead, I would like to share two things with you in honour of the occasion. First is a selection of Irish proverbs, taken from my family WhatsApp group chat this morning. Yes, that’s what we’re like!
Second, the video below, produced by the Irish foreign ministry which sums up the feelings of so many of us for the freedom-loving people of Ukraine, who are forced to endure the horror of Russia’s military invasion.
Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin
There’s no place like home (there’s no hearth like your own hearth)
Is fearr an tsláinte ná na táinte
Health is better than wealth (wealth in this case the old word for a herd of cattle)
Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine
People live/survive in the shelter/shade of each other, meaning we can’t do without one another.
And here’s an extra one I found that I hope will be true in the case of Ukraine.
Filleann an feall ar an bhfeallaire
Treachery rebounds on the treacherous (person).
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh go léir! Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you all!
Thank you Clare! I enjoyed all of them and will be passing them on to my Irish brother in law.
Hi Kathleen. Happy to be of service!
Thanks for the proverbs. Always interesting how different cultures express many of the same truths. And the film is very moving. It’s hard to imagine how this war is going to end without utter disaster, but I’m trying to stay hopeful.
A great store of human wisdom when you put it all together and yet all that amounts to nothing in the face of human evil. I’m trying to stay hopeful, too. Quite a challenge.