Wise Old Words | Irish American Mom

Irish Potato Sayings

April 22, 2018 by Irish American Mom 19 Comments

Irish people love potatoes, so as you can imagine, there are many wise old words from Ireland that place great significance upon the potato.

I grew up eating potatoes everyday for dinner in Ireland. Pasta and rice may have gained popularity in my homeland over the past few decades buy many of my parent’s generation still eat potatoes every single day.

Ireland and America’s destinies became intertwined because of the potato. The failure of the crop during the Great Hunger of 1845-1850 propelled many Irish on an immigrant journey across the Atlantic ocean.

The destinies of Ireland and America are forever entwined because of the humble potato.

Since the potato holds such significance in Irish history, it’s no surprise that Irish folklore is replete with sayings about the potato.

And today, I thought I would gather some of these potato sayings together in one blog post, so that we can all enjoy the wisdom of our forefathers, and further understand the significance of the potato in their lives.

Irish Potato Sayings About Love And Marriage:

Let’s get started with a few old sayings about marriage, featuring none other than the potato.Irish people love potatoes, so as you can imagine, there are many wise old words from Ireland that place great significance upon the potato.

Now who would ever have thought of the potato as romantic???? Of course, the Irish!!!

And so, if you’re going to have to share your potatoes with a spouse, a few wise old words might come in handy….

“It’s easy to halve the potato where there is love.”

~ Old Irish Saying

The next one is a witty blessing for any young man who might be contemplating marriage:

“That you might have nicer legs

than your own under your table

before the new spuds are up.”

~ Irish Saying

The first crop of potatoes would have been harvested around August, so it was hoped a bachelor looking for a wife would find her before the end of the summer.

Now onto a more serious warning…

“Only two things in this world

are too serious to be jested on,

potatoes and matrimony.”

~ Irish Saying

In days gone by, survival was intertwined with the success of the potato crop. If your spuds failed, you would go hungry.

Now this next old saying comes from County Kerry, and was said at many a wedding in years gone by. It shows how important farming was to ensure survival in rural Ireland many years ago….

“May the frost never afflict your spuds.

May the leaves of your cabbage always be free from worms.

May the crows never pick your haystack.

And if you inherit a donkey, may she be in foal.”

~ Old Irish Wedding Blessing

Irish Potato Sayings For The Gardner:

Now let’s move on to some wise old words for those who have green thumbs and like to grow a few potatoes in the garden. The next section is full of wise old advice for growing those spuds.

Here’s a guide for outside temperatures for sewing and harvesting potatoes….

“When all things spoke the potato said,

‘Set me warm,

Dig me warm,

Eat me warm,

That’s all I want.'”

~Old Irish Saying

Now the sight of a healthy potato patch was deemed beautiful by our ancestors. It was a sign of success. A healthy potato crop was considered to be a beautiful sight, and as important as the birth of a child. Let’s face it, without potatoes, it was hard to feed your children.

The three most beautiful sights:

a potato garden in bloom,

a ship under sail,

and a woman after the birth of a child.

~ Words of Wisdom from Ireland

The next is a wish for potatoes with no eyes. Potato eyes are the spots on the skin from where sprouts grow.

“Here’s to eyes in your heads

and none in your spuds.”

~ Irish Toast

You may wonder why you don’t want eyes in your potatoes. Apparently the eyes contain toxic substances and if you eat potatoes with eyes and sprouts you can become quite ill, with symptoms of headache, and vomiting. So when you’re buying spuds avoid the ones with too many eyes.

And how about this saying, elevating the potato to the queen of the garden…

If beef’s the king of meat,

potato’s the queen of the garden world.”

~ Irish Saying

The next saying emphasizes the importance of the potato in Ireland’s economy in years gone by. Without potatoes, Ireland was truly beaten.

“If the potato misses,

Ireland’s beaten.”

~ Irish Potato Wisdom

Next is a saying from the Irish language that gave guidance for the planting season for late potatoes, which would have been harvested around October.

Fataí a chuirtear sa mBealtaine,

no nuair a labhras an chuach,

bíonn siad mall.

You can listen to the pronunciation on this linked page.

Here’s the meaning…

Potatoes planted in May,

or while the cuckoo sings,

are late potatoes.

Life Lessons From Ireland’s Potato Sayings:

Here’s a saying from Irish American writer, Maureen Howard.

“Hindsight is common

and bland as boiled potatoes.”

~ Maureen Howard, Irish American Writer

I’m sure she ate many a boiled potato in her youth.

“You must take the little potato

with the big potato.”

~ Irish Potato Proverb

I like that saying. It has an anti-bullying message. We must take our potatoes both big and small, and likewise we must accept everyone equally.

More Irish Language Potato Sayings:

Now let’s move on to some more old sayings in the Irish language. I’ve included links where you can listen to the pronunciation in Irish.

This first one highlights how many potatoes an Irish man would have eaten in a day.

“Prátaí ar maidin,

Prátaí ar nóin,

Is dá néireoinn san oíche

Prátaí a gheobhainn.”

You can listen to the pronunciation on this linked page.

Here’s the meaning…

“Potatoes in the morning,

Potatoes at noon,

And if I rise during the night,

Potatoes is what I would get.”

A working man ate up to 10 pounds of potatoes in one day before the Irish Famine. So morning, noon and night, potatoes were on the menu.

A mound of boiled potates was placed in the middle of the table at dinner time. In big families you had to keep an eye on the spuds if you had any hope of getting your fill….

“Bíodh práta dhá ithe agus práta dhá scú agat,

Dhá práta id gcúl do dhoirn,

Agus do shúil ar dhá práta ar an mbord!”

You can listen to the pronunciation on this linked page.

Here’s the meaning…

“Be eating a potato, peeling a potato

Have two potatoes in your hand,

And an eye on two more on the table.”

The rule of the table in many Irish households was S.O.S…. Stretch Or Starve.

Now let’s move on to one that uses small potatoes to describe a dull, boring person.

“Duine de chinéal na bhfataí beaga,

Duine gan suim.”

You can listen to the pronunciation on this linked page.

Here’s the meaning…

“A person similar to small potatoes

Is not an interesting person.”

This saying is also expressed in English in this manner …

“That’s small potatoes altogether.”

I remember my granny easing our worries by telling us not to stress over something, because it was nothing but small potatoes.

This next one comes from the west of Ireland, and makes fun of the Kerry accent or blas as we say in Irish.

“Bheadh na fataí níte, bruite agus ite agat

Fad a bheadh an Ciarríoch ag rá práta.”

You can listen to the pronunciation on this linked page.

Here’s the meaning…

“You would have the potatoes washed, boiled and eaten,

while a Kerryman is saying práta.”

The Kerry Irish dialect has very broad, long vowels, so their pronunciation is slower and more drawn out than that of Irish speakers in Galway or Donegal.

Potato Verse From County Cork:

Here’s one of my favorite little rhymes from my Irish childhood, especially since both my parents hail from Cork. When spoken out loud, this rhyme is said in a sing-song like rhythm, gently prodding fun at the Cork accent.

And ‘aru’ is simply short for ‘are you?’

“Aru from Cork?

I am! Aru?

Do you eat potatoes?

Indeed, I do.

How d’ye ate ’em?

Skin an’ all.

Bad for the stomach?

No, not at all.”

~ Old Irish Verse from Cork

And after today’s post you know that so long as there are no eyes on those potato skins they won’t be bad for the stomach at all, at all, at all.

And there you have it, a quick look at old Irish sayings about potatoes, you may never have heard before.

If you know any other sayings about potatoes, or if you have heard any of these sayings from your family members, I’d love to hear your story in the comments section.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

The Demon Drink

March 18, 2018 by Irish American Mom 4 Comments

Today being the day after St. Patrick’s Day, I can safely say there are many Irish people, or people who thought they were Irish yesterday, who are awakening with an almighty headache.

Our Irish ancestors, whose affinity for a wee drop is world renowned, were also keenly aware of the dangers of the demon drink, and the adverse affects that must be endured after a night of excessive imbibing.

And so, as many may be suffering today, I thought it would be the perfect time to share some old Irish sayings warning us to tipple in moderation, together with some more modern Irish expressions used to articulate the painful ill-effects of a hangover.

Now, a test for whether or not a person is truly Irish, may be found in the way he or she describes the agony of a hangover. We Irish love expressive adjectives and phrases. So you may not be surprised to learn, there are Irish expressions galore to describe the feelings endured the day after the night before.

Of course, in true Irish fashion some expressions use overly flourishing language, and some can be a little bit rude. Now, since most of you are a little bit mature like myself, I’ve left those ones out, and tried to keep my collection of drunken sayings to those that can be read by all. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Irish Drunken Bravado:

Yesterday you may have had a few drinks, buoyed by the notion of your Irishness, and therefore your inherent capacity to down a few pints.

This false bravdo is even supported by some of our old sayings. Here are a few examples….

“An Irishman is never drunk,

As long as he can hold onto one blade of grass

And not fall off the face of the earth.”

Oscar Wilde, was also fond of a drop or two, so here’s a classic from this Irish master of word play…

“Work is the curse of the drinking class.”

~ Oscar Wilde

Even the brilliant William Butler Yeats believed some people were better tolerated drunk than sober. Here’s a great one-liner from our most famous poet …..

The problem with some people,

is that when they aren’t drunk,

they’re sober.

~ William Butler Yeats

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And of course we love to drink with one another, because you can’t beat a drink amongst friends …

Here’s to cheating, stealing, fighting, and drinking.

If you cheat, may you cheat death.

If you steal, may you steal a woman’s heart.

If you fight, may you fight for a brother.

And if you drink, may you drink with me.

~ Old Irish Saying

And we’re so good at this nonsensical, bravado-filled banter we even have another version of this same old hullabaloo about drink ….

May you never lie, steal, cheat or drink.

But if you must lie, lie in each other’s arms.

If you must steal, steal kisses.

If you must cheat, cheat death.

And if you must drink, drink with us, your friends.

~ Old Irish Toast

Now, many Irishmen don’t need that much encouragement to join in the festivities.

Other nationalities may be more interested in socializing when out and about on the town. They may like to meet others for a chat and a bit of flirting. But not an Irishman. As the old saying goes ….

“An Irishman would step over ten naked women

to get to a pint.”

And here’s another saying espousing our desire for drunkenness …

“I’ll have what the man on the floor’s having!”

And don’t worry, the man on the floor is far from chatting to the ten scantily clad women the other fellow stepped over to get to his pint. He’s simply taking a breather from the festivities. On the floor!

But fear not! We have a prayerful Irish American plea to help get this poor drunk back up on his feet again …

“May your Guardian Angel be by your side

to pick ya up off the floor

And hand ya another

cold one from the store.”

This bravado seems to know no end. We’re even told that a few drinks will help us make it all the way to the pearly gates ……

When we drink, we get drunk.

When we get drunk, we fall asleep.

When we fall asleep, we commit no sin.

When we commit no sin, we go to heaven.

So, let’s all get drunk, and go to heaven!

~ Old Irish toast

I’m quite sure many of you are feeling far from heavenly this morning. Your throbbing head probably wishes you had paid less attention to all that Irish drinking bravado, but instead had heeded the following sage advice from years gone by…..

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Old Irish Sayings Warning About The Demon Drink:

There is a saying that “drink loosens the tongue, and opens the heart’ which is not of Irish origin. But our ancestors gave the same warning through a few different expressions. Here are some Irish words of wisdom warning against alcohol-induced disinhibition …

“Do not be talkative in an alehouse.”

and this is because …..

“A drink precedes a story.”

However, the more you drink, the less control you have over the stories you tell because …..

“Nuair a bhíos an braon istigh

bíonn an chiall amuigh.”

Click here for pronunciation instructions.

Translated into English this means…

“When the drop is inside

the sense is outside.”

And when you are no longer talking sense then conversation moves to another level altogether, and I don’t mean a higher, more intellectual level….

“But the greatest love – the love above all loves,

Even greater than that of a mother…

Is the tender, passionate, undying love,

Of one beer drunken slob for another.”

~ Irish love ballad

And for all the men out there, who are short on words at the best of times, you may be thinking what on earth did I say last night, because….

“Men are like bagpipes:

no sound comes from them

until they’re full.”

And if you haven’t got a clue what you were talking about, remember….

“Drunkenness and anger,

’tis said tell the truth.”

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Our forefathers called for moderation also when they advised…

“Before you call for one for the road,

be sure you know the road.”

And I believe this one is either referring to the neck of the bottle or the neck of the drinker. Who knows at this stage!

“A narrow neck keeps the bottle

from being emptied in one swig.”

But let’s face it. Few heeded these warnings yesterday as they partook of the merriment of honoring our patron saint.

And now that you have lived to tell the tale, it’s time to give voice to the pain of today. Here’s my collection of Irish hangover sayings and expressions.

What An Irishman Means When He Declares He’s Delicate:

Many an Irish person will greet their loved ones, with a plea today…

“Keep the noise down. I’m a little delicate.”

If an Irish man tells you he’s “delicate,” he’s not telling you he’s a genteel sort of fellow. He’s actually confessing he has a whopping, big HANGOVER.

Non-Irish people who first hear this frequently-used exclamation of personal delicacy, may worry about the fragile nature of the Irish race.

But fear not for the health of the Irish nation! These tender states are self-induced, the inevitable torture that must be endured after a night of excessive drinking.

This delicate feeling may also be expressed in other ways. I’ve heard many of these in my younger days, and may have even expressed a few in my time ….

“I’m in tatters.”

“I’m in rag order.”

“I’m in ribbons.”

“I’m banjaxed.”

Expressions Describing A Dry Mouth:

Any reader who may have ever suffered a hangover will know one of the primary symptoms is a dry mouth. The sufferer wakes in the morning with their tongue stuck to the roof of the mouth.

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And of course, we Irish have oodles of expressions to describe this dehydrated feeling. Here’s one of my favorites.

“I have a tongue as dry as Ghandi’s flip flop.”

Another way of saying this is…

“I have a mouth as dry as an apostle’s sandal.”

Here’s another one….

“A mouth like the bottom of a birdcage.”

I know I said I would keep this linguistic collection tame, but “arse” is pretty toned down by Irish standards, so here’s another version of a dry mouth saying….

“A mouth as dry as a camel’s arse.”

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The older versions of these sayings are far tamer and go like this….

“A wet night: a dry morning.”

“Good as drink is, it ends in thirst.”

But alack and alas, the symptoms of a hangover are not just confined to a dry mouth. There are headaches and sickly tummies to contend with, and of course, there are Irish expressions to give voice to all this awfulness.

Ways of Describing How Sick You Feel:

A favorite adjective in Cork for describing someone who is thirsty and sick after a night of boozing is “craw-sick.”

“I’m a bit craw-sick this morning.”

Can you just hear your Irish mother’s response????

“I’ve no pity for you.

It’s all of your own doing.”

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There’s no point telling an Irish mammy ….

“I’m in an awful way.”

As she warms up a pan to cook you a fry and puts the kettle on, she’ll probably keep rattling on …

“I’ve no sympathy for you.

You were probably two sheets to the wind last night.”

And if she doesn’t jump to give you a few solpadeine (Irish pain killers that really help a hangover), you may have to resort to these exhortations of your pain …….

“I’m as sick as a bus to Lourdes.”

“I’m as sick as a small hospital.”

“I feel like death warmed up.”

“I feel like I’ve been scraped off a shoe.”

“I’m suffering the wrath of grapes.”

“I’ve a head on me like a bag of chisels.”

“I have the heebie jeebies.”

“I’ve eyes, like two burnt holes in a blanket.”

I’m in a heap! (pronounced hape)

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Well, if you find yourself in a heap or a hape this morning, this post is probably too little, too late.

I should have posted these warnings a few days before the damage was done, and before everyone drowned the famous shamrock.

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My advice to you is to enjoy a cuppa tea, and a big greasy feed (an Irish fry is perfect hangover food).

And remember, I may be a day late with my warnings this year, but you’ve been told well in advance for next year.

If anyone you know may be suffering the adverse effects of the demon drink today, feel free to pass my warnings along. You’ll save them some pain next year.

I hope everyone had a great Saint Patrick’s Day.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Irish Words of Wisdom For Labor Day – The Importance of Hard Work

September 5, 2016 by Irish American Mom 15 Comments

As we Americans celebrate Labor Day today, I thought it might be interesting to gather old Irish sayings that speak to the importance of work and labor in our lives.

The Irish throughout the world are not known for their riches or affluent lifestyles, but throughout the ages the Irish have never been afraid of hard work. This collection of old Irish sayings is evidence the Irish fully understood the need to earn prosperity through the fruits of their labor.

Irish Americans were integral to proposing Labor Day as a holiday. Founding of the holiday is credited to a Peter McGuire or a Matthew Maguire. Whether McGuire or Maguire first came up with this holiday idea, it is very clear by both men’s last names, this holiday was the idea of an Irishman.

I hope you enjoy this selection of wise old words from Ireland. I’ve added a new feature where you can listen to the pronunciation of the Irish or Gaelic phrases. I’m not a native Irish speaker, but I learned enough Irish in my school years to be able to read these phrases for you. I hope this helps.

Many readers ask for phonetic pronunciation of the Irish language on my blog, but this post has so many Gaelic sayings, the post would be full of nonsensical words if I tried to create phonetic phrases for everything.

Without further ado, here’s my collection of Irish sayings and proverbs about work and labor especially for Labor Day….

A Good Start:

The following collection of Irish sayings focuses upon the importance of getting off to a good start for every day and every task. Let’s start with the most popular saying of all ….

“Tús maith, leath na hoibre.”

“A good start is half the work.”

If you wish to hear the pronunciation of this saying just click on the play arrow on the sound file below. You’ll find recordings of all the Irish sayings in this post so that you can hear how these Gaelic phrases sound …

“Lose an hour in the morning

and you’ll be looking for it all day.”

“An té a dtéann cáil na mochéirí amach dó

ní miste dó codladh go méanlae.”

“He who gets a name for early rising

can stay in bed until midday.”

Here’s a short sound file so you can listen to the pronunciation of this Irish saying.

This particular saying can be expressed alternatively as ….

“Those who get the name of rising early,

may lie all day.”

“Bíonn gach tosach lag.”

“Every beginning is weak.”

Here’s a sound file for the Irish pronunciation of the saying above:

The Importance Of Skill:

The next selection of sayings emphasizes the importance of skill, diligence and perseverance if one is to succeed in life. Nothing is accomplished without skill and patience.

“A bad workman quarrels with his tools.”

“Keep your shop

and your shop will keep you.”

“Is fearr lán doirn de cheird

ná lán mála d’ór.”

“A handful of skill is better

than a bagful of gold.”

“Buail an iarann te.”

“Strike the hot iron.”

“It’s not a delay

to stop and sharpen the scythe.”

“Cleachtadh a dhéanann maistreacht.”

“Practice makes mastery.”

The Perils Of Laziness:

The next grouping of old Irish sayings pulls no punches when warning about the dangers of laziness, idleness and sloth. Those who choose not to work are destined to a life of poverty according to our ancestors.

“Unwillingness easily finds an excuse.”

“Laziness is a heavy burden.”

“Poverty waits at the gates of idleness.”

“It’s a dirty bird that won’t

keep its own nest clean.”

“Snathán fada, táilliúr falsa.”

“A long stitch, a lazy tailor.”

“Ní dhéanfaidh smaoineamh

an treabhadh duit.”

“You’ll never plough a field

by turning it over in your mind.”

“Fat is not to be had without labor.”

“Is fearr obair ná caint.”

“Work is better than talk.”

“The person of the greatest talk,

is the person of the least work.”

“Ní fhanann trá le fear mall.”

“An ebb tide does not wait for a slow man.”

Diligence and Patience:

Planning, steadfastness and a ‘can-do’ attitude are highlighted in this next collection of Irish proverbs. They are all along the lines of the old saying “you reap what you sow.”

“Time and patience would bring a snail to America.”

“Mura gcuirfidh tú san earrach

ní bhainfidh tú san fhómhar.”

“If you do not sow in the spring,

you will not reap in the autumn.”

“Cé gur beag díol dreoilín,

caithfidh sé a sholáthar.”

“Little as a wren needs,

it must gather it.”

“Obair ó chrích obair bean tí.”

“Work without end is housewife’s work.”

“Is crua a cheannaíonn an droim an bolg.”

“The back must slave to feed the belly.”

“Molann an obair an fear.”

“The work praises the man.”

“Ní thuirsítear fear na héadála.”

“One does not tire of a profitable occupation.”

“Many hands make light work.”

“Put it on your shoulder,

and say it is not a burden.”

“Imíonn an tuirse

ach fanann an tairbhe.”

“The tiredness leaves

but the profit remains.”

“Ní neart go cur le chéile.”

“There is no strength without unity.”

“Ní bhíonn an rath,

ach mara mbíonn an smacht.”

“There is no prosperity

unless there is discipline.”

Wishing you all a very happy Labor Day with your loved ones. As we remember the workers who built America over the centuries, let’s celebrate their sacrifices by enjoying a little time off.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Irish Sayings About Education

August 23, 2016 by Irish American Mom 8 Comments

Wise old words from Ireland abound including advice on the importance of education. Our ancestors held plenty of opinions and their respect for a good education is clearly evident in some old Irish sayings.

Back to school time is upon us. Kentucky kids are already waiting in line for school buses every morning, and in the evenings knuckling down to their homework.

Kids in Ireland and some of the states in the northeast still have one last week of freedom before returning to the books. But to help us all prepare for the school year ahead, I thought I might put together a list of sayings from Ireland about education.

This post is for parents, teachers and students the world over. Here you will find a little wisdom about why learning sets us on the road to success.

And as with all things Irish, there’s a little levity, but above all you will find, a deep seated respect for the importance of a good education.

So here’s my collection of Irish quotations, blessings, and sayings for back-to-schoolers everywhere, both young and old, and in between.

Education Quotations From Great Irish Writers:

First lets take a look at some wise words penned by world famous Irish writers. Here you’ll find some wonderful words from Yeats, Shaw, Wilde and McCourt.

“Education is not the filling of a pail,

but the lighting of a fire.”

~ William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)

“He says, you have to study and learn

so that you can make up your own mind

about history and everything else,

but you can’t make up an empty mind.

Stock your mind, stock your mind.

You might be poor,

your shoes might be broken,

but your mind is a palace.”

~ Frank McCourt, Writer

”What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge,

and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.”

~ George Bernard Shaw, Irish writer

“Beware of false knowledge;

it is more dangerous than ignorance.”

~ George Bernard Shaw, Irish writer

“Education is an admirable thing,

but it is well to remember from time to time

that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.”

~Oscar Wilde, Writer

The Triads Of Ireland:

The Triads of Ireland are a collection of early Irish proverbs compiled in the 9th century. These wise old words of our ancestors comprised three items that share a memorable trait. Here are three examples dealing with education …

Triad 177 – Three glories of speech:

steadiness, wisdom, brevity.

Triad 210 – Three candles that illumine every darkness:

truth, nature, knowledge.

Triad 245 – Three things that ruin wisdom:

ignorance, inaccurate knowledge, forgetfulness.

Sayings And Proverbs From Ireland About Education:

Next, let’s explore some of the old proverbs that have been handed down from generation to generation, encouraging young people to study, and ‘stick to the books’, as my granny used to say….

“Wisdom is what makes a poor man a king,

a weak person powerful,

a good generation of a bad one,

a foolish man reasonable.”

~ Old Irish Saying

“A little of anything isn’t worth a pin;

but a wee bit of sense is worth a lot.”

~ Wise Old Words from Ireland

Castles were built a stone at a time.

~ Old Irish Saying

“Praise the young

and they will make progress.”

~ Old Irish Saying

“Sense doesn’t come before age.”

~ Irish Proverb

“Food is no more important than wisdom.

The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God.”

~ Old Irish Saying

It destroys the craft not to learn it.

~ Irish Proverb

“Speed and accuracy do not agree.

~ Irish Words of Wisdom

“The stars make no noise.”

~ Irish Saying

“The youngest thorns are the sharpest.”

~ Irish Saying

“Though wisdom is good in the beginning,

it is better at the end.”

“The young shed many skins.”

~ Irish Proverb

“‘Tis afterwards that everything is understood.”

~ Irish Words of Wisdom

“Watching is a part of good play.”

~ Old Irish Saying

“The slow hound often has good qualities.”

~ Old Irish Proverb

“A scholar’s ink lasts longer than a martyrs blood.”

~ Sage Words from Ireland

“The bird that can sing and won’t sing,

should be made to sing.”

~ Irish Saying About Talents

“Time and patience would bring a snail to Jerusalem.”

~ Words of Wisdom from Ireland

“The seeking for one thing will find another.”

~ Irish Saying About Learning and Development

Irish American Quotations About Education:

From the mouth of JFK, the 35th American President, to the words of the great southern writer Flannery O’Connor, here are a few of my favorite Irish American quotations …

”All of us do not have equal talents,

but all of us should have an

equal opportunity to develop our talents.”

~ John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 35^th President of U.S.A.

“Our progress as a nation can be

no swifter than our progress in education.”

~ US President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)

“The only real mistake

is the one from which we learn nothing.”

~ Henry Ford (1863-1947)

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.

Anyone who keeps learning stays young.”

~ Henry Ford (1863-1947)

“There is no man living

who isn’t capable of doing more

than he thinks he can do.”

~ Henry Ford (1863-1947)

“Everywhere I go I’m asked if I think the university stifles writers.

My opinion is that they don’t stifle enough of them.

There’s many a best-seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher.”

~ Flannery O’Connor

A Little Levity To Close:

And for all who feel like they are returning to prison after their free wheeling summer days of fun, here’s one of my favorite quotations from Irish comedian, Tommy Tiernan.

“And do you remember those essays

you’d have to write every September?

‘What I did on my summer holidays?’

Like they were only letting you out on parole or something!

~ Tommy Tiernan, Irish Comedian

And so with these quotations I say to students everywhere, welcome back to school after two long months or more of parole. Start sharpening your pencils and writing those essays.

Wishing everyone a happy and successful school year from parents coaching their kids through homework, students diligently trying to pay attention, to the back bone of every nation, our teachers. Happy school year everyone.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

When Life Gives You Lemons

June 14, 2016 by Irish American Mom 10 Comments

Summer is here and lemonade season is upon us. Every time I squeeze a lemon for juice, I smile and think of the old proverbial saying …

“When life gives you lemons,

make lemonade.”

What an encouraging, optimistic, can-do phrase, loved throughout America! Today let’s explore the origins of this phrase and let me introduce you to the Irish version of the lemonade philosophy.

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Origins Of The Saying “When Life Gives You Lemons:”

Do you ever find old words of wisdom spinning in your head, and stop to wonder how on earth that particular saying came to be?

Well, as I squeezed a lemon for some Irish lemon and sugar pancakes the other day, the well-loved lemonade saying started somersaulting round my noggin.

And like so many of us nowadays, I took to the Internet in search of an answer. I even ventured outside my own little corner of the world wide web. And quite predictably, I followed the trail where it usually leads, right to Wikipedia, and on their lemons and lemonade page I found my answer.

Who can remember leafing through pages of hard bound encyclopedia volumes in search of answers to crazy questions like this one? I’m aging myself now. So back to the lemons, before I have to apply them to my face as an anti-aging salve.

First Coined In 1915:

Well, here’s what I discovered. This beloved lemon statement dates back to 1915. For some reason, I imagined this saying to be much, much older.

I had visions of women in petticoats in the hot, sweaty days of the gun slinging wild west, squeezing lemons for lemonade, and dreaming their American dream. I never really thought about how they might have got their hands on lemons in mid-19th century Nebraska, or Kansas or Colorado? So let’s get back to the facts.

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First used in an obituary written by Elbert Hubbard for an actor Marshall P. Wilder, who was of very short stature, Hubbard praised Wilder’s optimistic attitude in the face of his disability ….

“He picked up the lemons that Fate had sent him

and started a lemonade-stand.”

In a 1948 book entitled How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, Dale Carnegie advised …

“If you have a lemon, make a lemonade.”

And so, this encouraging phrase is truly an American creation, encapsulating the optimistic and hopeful values of all who believe in the American dream.

But of course, we Irish could not leave this phrase be. A truly Irish American twist on this good old saying inevitably emerged. Have you ever heard the Irish lemons and lemonade philosophy?

The Irish Version Of “When Life Gives You Lemons:”

Confession time. This new phrase is one I only recently learned from a reader. It’s an Irish American phrase, and not one born in the old country and brought across the proverbial pond.

A reader e-mailed me one day to let me know he enjoyed my ramblings, and that my turn of phrase reminded him of his late mother. And then he shared his favorite maternal quotation, which I just had to share with you here.

Be prepared. It’s a good one, that could only ever have been first uttered by an Irish woman …

“When life gives you lemons,

sell them and buy potatoes.”

And so, I share this little bit of Irish American wit and wisdom with you today, in memory of this reader’s wonderful Irish mother.

The Humble Potato:

Now as you all know we Irish love our potatoes, and the humble spud played an integral role in the history of Ireland, and America. Potatoes are part of our cultural identity.

Some readers requested I write a few blog posts dedicated to the humble spud. Irish people’s obsession with “floury” potatoes was a big topic of conversation in the comment section for my Traditional Irish Potato Soup recipe.

And so today, I am selling my lemons to buy potatoes and introducing you to my potato series, which I am dubbing the “Spud Saga.”

Over the coming days I’ll share some recipes and ramblings all inspired by our beloved Irish spud. So do stay tuned and come back in a day or two for the next installment of The Spud Saga.