Irish Blessings And Sayings About Faith

January 6, 2019 by Irish American Mom 16 Comments

Faith flattens mountains is an old Irish saying and an example of the deep spiritual wisdom of our ancestors.

Pearls of wisdom found in old Irish proverbs were passed on by our forebears for centuries and millennia.

I would go so far as to say, these old adages and dictums can even provide a reliable, moral framework to help guide us through life.

Today’s collection of sayings about faith, definitely fulfills that criteria.

The Importance Of Passing On Our Ancestors’ Knowledge:

If you ever wonder why you enjoy reading old proverbs and sayings, then ask yourself the following questions….

Do you believe it is important to pass on the ancient knowledge of our ancestors found in Irish proverbs to the next generations?

Do you believe the wise old words of our forefathers encapsulate the fundamental values necessary for living a good life?

Do you believe these old precepts and truisms can help us delve into our Irish psyche and further understand our Celtic mindset?

If, like me, you believe it is important to record and share the wisdom of our Irish forebears, then this little corner of the internet is perfect for you.

Exploring Irish Wisdom By Topic:

I like to explore Irish proverbs from centuries past by subject matter, rather than by grouping every kind and class of saying into lists the length of today and tomorrow.

Here, I create collections of old sayings about common topics, virtues, superstitions and/or witticisms.

Today’s subject matter is all about faith and spiritual belief sets.

Together, let’s savor a little Irish folk wisdom centered on the importance of faith in our lives.

Irish Proverbs And Sayings About Faith:

This collection of proverbs and sayings teaches us the universal importance of having faith in something greater than ourselves.

I’ve included the original Irish language version of each saying, when known.

These words are not specific to the Catholic or other Christian faiths, but can be applied to any faith, where someone believes in a greater spiritual creator and guide.

These sayings are for people of all faiths and spiritual beliefs to enjoy. I hope you too will find them inspirational.

Here’s a short video summarizing these words of wisdom …..

Let’s take a look at each saying individually.

“Cláraíonn creidimh cnoc.”

Phonetic pronunciation: Claw-reen creh-div con-uck.

And here’s the sound file for Irish pronunciation…

“Faith flattens mountains.”

I love how other nationalities may have moved mountains with their faith, but in Ireland we flattened them.

“Creideamh ag an tuath, eolas ag an tsaoi.”

Phonetic pronunciation: Creh-div egg on two-ah, oh-lus egg on th-hee

And here’s the sound file for Irish pronunciation…

“The unlearned person has faith, the learned knows.”

“Mura bhfuil creideamh i do chroí, ní féidir aon ní.”

Phonetic pronunciation: Mur-ah will creh-div ih duh kree, nee fay-dir ay-un nee.

And here’s the sound file for Irish pronunciation…

“Without faith in your heart, you can do nothing.”

“Déanann feiceáil fírinne.”

Phonetic pronunciation: Day-nun feck-awl feer-un-ah.

And here’s the sound file for Irish pronunciation…

“Seeing is believing.”

“Is é an t-amhras eochair an tuisceana.”

Phonetic pronunciation: Iss ay on thow-rus uck-er on thish-kin-ah.

And here’s the sound file for Irish pronunciation…

“Doubt is the key to understanding.”

“Tis afterwards that everything is understood.”

And here is one of my favorites…

“The road to Heaven is well signposted,

but it’s badly lit at night.”

It was faith that helped our ancestors dare to cross the Atlantic ocean in search of a better life many years ago.

I pray your faith gives you strength and courage because true fulfillment is reserved for those with the fortitude to see life’s challenges through even under the most difficult of circumstances.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

If you enjoyed this collection of blessings and sayings from Ireland, here are some more you may enjoy….

Irish Rainbow Blessings

Irish Potato Sayings

Irish Wisdom and Sayings About Horses

Irish Proverbs About Proverbs

November 4, 2018 by Irish American Mom 10 Comments

The Irish or Gaelic oral tradition is replete with numerous proverbs and sayings. Our ancestors composed many little nuggets of advice, and some of their words are overflowing with Irish wit and wisdom.

Around this little corner of the internet we love to examine these old sayings and immerse ourselves in the soft whisperings of our forefathers.

There are thousands of wonderful Irish proverbs and sayings covering a wide variety of topics, so you won’t be surprised to learn our forebears even composed proverbs about proverbs, bearing advice about their own advice.

I believe this shows a sly and subtle self-confidence that pervaded the Irish psyche in years gone by. Considering the Irish were an oppressed people for many generations and centuries, the wisdom and depth of these old sayings is commendable.

And so, today I thought we might explore a few words of advice about advice from our wise old ancestors.

First, here are a few old sayings from Ireland about wisdom and advice, in the English language:

‘Tis afterwards, that everything is understood.”

“Food is no more important than wisdom.”

“A little bit of anything, isn’t worth a pin.

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

“The man who won’t have advice will have conflict.”

“A wise man takes advice.”

“Better knowledge of the evil,

than the evil without knowledge.”

Now let’s move on to a few old sayings in the Irish language.

I’ve included a sound file so that you can listen to each saying pronounced in Irish or Gaelic with a Munster dialect.

You’ll also find phonetic pronunciations for each Irish saying, plus of course, we’ll start with the English version for each proverb.

“Proverbs cannot be surpassed.”

“The proverb cannot be bettered.”

which in Irish or Gaelic is ….

“Ní sháraítear na seanfhocail.”

(Phonetic Pronunciation: Nee haw-ree-thur nah shan-uck-ill)

Sound file:

Here’s one I think is wonderful. Respect for our elders and the wisdom they’ve inherited from those who went before us is very important in life.

“A heritage of thoughts is to be found

in the proverbs of our ancestors.”

which in Irish or Gaelic is ….

“Oidhreacht na smaointe

i seanfhocail sinsear.”

(Phonetic Pronunciation: Eye-rock-th nah smwee-in-teh ih shan-uck-ill sheen-shar)

Sound file:

I hope to teach my kids to embrace their Irish heritage, and to understand the importance of passing on the wisdom of previous generations. Here’s hoping our children will continue to hear the whisperings of their ancestors….

“A proverb is like a whisper from our ancestors.”

which in Irish or Gaelic is ….

“Is ionann seanfhocal agus

cogar gaoise onár sinsir.”

(Phonetic Pronunciation: Iss un-ann shan-uck-ill ah-gus cug-ahr gwee-shah own-awr sheen-shir)

Sound file:

“Though the proverb is abandoned,

it is not falsified.”

which in Irish or Gaelic is….

“Má thréigtear an seanfhocal

ní bhréagnaítear é.”

(Phonetic Pronunciation: Maw h-ray-g-thur on shan-uck-ill nee vray-g-nee-thur ay)

Sound file:

“Good advice is better than a pot of gold.”

which translates into Irish as follows….

“Is fearrde dea-chomhairle ná pota óir.”

(Phonetic Pronunciation: Iss far-deh ja-core-la naw puh-tha ore)

Sound file:

“He who does not take advice

will take battle.”

which in Irish translates as…

“An té nach nglacann comhairle,

glacfaidh sé comhrac.”

(Phonetic Pronunciation: On tay nock ng-lock-uhn co-urla, glock-hig shay co-rock.)

Sound file:

“Listen to everyone’s advice,

but follow your own.”

which translates into Irish as …..

“Éist le comhairle ó gach aon,

agus déan do chomhairle féin.”

(Phonetic Pronunciation: Eh-sht le co-urla oh gock eh-un ah-gus day-un duh co-urla fay-un.)

Sound file:

And finally, here’s an old Irish proverb warning us not to fall for the sweet words of smooth-talkers…

“It is seldom that a rogue

cannot find an appropriate proverb.”

which in its original Irish version goes like this…

“Is annamh nach bhfaigheann

rógaire seanfhocal cuí.”

(Phonetic Pronunciation: Iss ann-uv nock vi-un row-gu-re shan-uck-ill cwee.)

Sound file:

And so, before you think I too have turned into a rogue, who can find a proverb for every purpose, I’ll sign off.

I hope you enjoyed this little collection of wise old words from our ancestors.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Irish Turf Giveaway

September 16, 2018 by Irish American Mom 116 Comments

How many Irish childhood’s involved raking up ashes of the previous night’s turf fire?

How many of us have inhaled the special earthy herbal aroma of burning sods of turf?

And how often did we warm ourselves by the hearth, the very heart of Irish homes in days gone by?

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Irish thatched cottages had a fireplace in every room and when autumn or fall days began to get a little nippy, a turf fire was set in each hearth.

This week’s Irish American Mom giveaway is one that should stir memories of the hearths and homes of our Irish childhoods, or rekindle fond thoughts of heartwarming travels in Ireland.

Now that summer is over, I thought it would be the perfect time to host a giveaway for some Irish turf so you can be stocked up before the days turn cold.

One lucky reader will win an Irish Turf Gift Basket containing about 30 pounds of naturally dried Irish turf or Irish fire logs. There are about 14 to 16 sods in this gift basket. Irish American Mom will purchase the turf from the Food Ireland website for the winner.

Please note this post contains affiliate links.

These sods of peat were harvested from County Clare, in the Cappabane Mountain Bog and were seasoned for one year after being cut. Burning this turf in an open fire will fill your room with a distinctive scent that is truly Irish.

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New regulations limit the amount of turf being cut in Ireland each year, and vast stretches of bogs have now been declared as Special Areas of Conservation.

And so, before Irish turf is as scarce as hen’s teeth or feathers on a fish, let’s experience burning a few of these old sods and enjoying the amazing aromatics associated with a real Irish turf fire.

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Before I share the giveaway details, let’s first enjoy a few more photos of Irish turf and a few sayings and proverbs to go along with them.

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Turf was a vital commodity in Ireland in years gone by. Without turf harvested by the autumn, a family in centuries past would have a long, cold winter ahead of them.

Here’s a saying that highlights how much the Irish valued turf.

“He who has water and peat on his own farm

has the world his own way.”

This is sometimes expressed slightly differently and goes like this…

“He who has water and turf on his own land

has the world sitting square.”

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The photo above shows how turf was loaded on to boats to be brought to the Aran Islands for winter fuel. There is no fuel on these isolated islands in the Atlantic ocean, so inhabitants had to bring the turf home from the mainland. They were keenly aware of this old saying ….

“Talking never brought the turf home.”

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This next saying highlights how the rich are often considered wiser than the poor…

“Two thing that go to loss:

turf on a mountain

and the wisdom of a poor man.”

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Here’s an expression from Ulster and Ireland’s northern counties. A waen is a child in the north, and is pronounced wane. It comes from a combination of the two words wee and one.

“Six o’clock

and not a waen in the house washed,

nor a turf turned.”

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Here’s one of my favorites and it exemplifies the Irish way of looking on the bright side of life.

“It could be worse now if the ass died

and the turf still in the bog.”

You could be abandoned by your wife or husband, but life would be worse if you had no turf in for the winter.

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Turf or peat must have been scarce in Kilmallock, County Limerick or else they were a stingy bunch, because there’s an old saying used when a small fire is built and it goes like this…

‘A Kilmallock fire—two sods and a ciarán.’

( Pronounced kee-rawn, a ciarán is a small broken piece of turf).

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There’s an old Irish superstition that if a sod of turf falls out of the fire it’s a sign that someone is coming to the house.

And if that stranger appears at your door, there’s another saying that instructs us to always show them a welcome …

“May the blessing of Light be on you

Light without and light within,

May the blessed sunlight shine on you

And warm your heart till it glows like

A great peat fire, so that the stranger

May come and warm himself at it.”

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Keeping Emigrant Fires Burning:

In parts of Ireland there was an old custom that when a family was forced to emigrate, usually to America, they would bring a few burning sods of turf from their fire, to the nearest neighbor’s house.

Their request would be that their neighbor would keep their fire safe and alive until they returned.

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Many a fire was kept alive for decades, but alas the original fire stokers never returned. Emigration was cruel in centuries past, with little hope of ever returning home. This poignant practice brings a tear to my eye.

And so with this little giveaway, we’ll send Irish turf to America and light our fires on the other side of the Atlantic, all the while remembering those who left Ireland, never to make it home.

Buying Irish Turf In America:

Notice: The affiliate links below mean I will earn a small commission should you buy something. This helps me keep the lights on in this little corner of the world wide web. Many thanks if you choose to use one of my Food Ireland links.

Irish turf is available from Food Ireland, a company I have no hesitation in recommending for purchases of Irish foods and gifts. They’re based in Mount Vernon, New York and ship all over the United States.

They have compressed Irish peat briquettes:

They also have gift packs of just 4 sods of Irish turf, which I think is a great, inexpensive, novelty gift for anyone who loves Ireland.

And then they have gift boxes of turf.

I especially like this Irish turf gift basket, which is our giveaway prize this week.

How To Enter The Giveaway:

One lucky reader will win a gift basket of Irish turf with about 30 pounds of naturally dried turf sods, perfect for open fires. Now be very careful and no burnt fingers if you win.

To enter just leave a comment on this blog post by noon on Sunday, September 23rd, 2018.

Any comment will do. What you write does not affect your chance of winning, but if you need inspiration why not tell us if you have ever experienced an Irish turf fire and its amazing aroma.

A winning comment will be chosen randomly. Remember to leave your e-mail so that I can contact you should you win. Your e-mail won’t be published, just used to contact our lucky contestant for mailing of the prize.

The winner will be announced Sunday, September 23rd, 2018, at the bottom of this blog post.

You may check out Irish American Mom’s complete terms and conditions for sweepstakes’ entries by clicking here.

Many thanks to everyone who supports this little Irish giveaway and to those who share it with loved ones and friends, who might enjoy a nice, warm, Irish fire this fall.

I’m looking forward to reading all your comments and memories of Irish turf fires.

09/23/18 Update: Winner Chosen

Many thanks to everyone who took the time to comment and enter our little giveaway for a gift basket of real Irish turf. I so enjoyed reading all your comments and learning how many of us love the aroma of a turf fire.

Our winner was chosen randomly using the WordPress Pick Giveaway Winner plug-in tool.

And the lucky reader who will be warming their toes by a turf fire this fall is …

Ginger Veach

I’ll send Ginger an email to let her know the good news and to arrange mailing of her prize.

Hi Ginger – Please contact me by email at [email protected] so that I can organize mailing of your prize. I tried to contact you by email, but I did not get a response. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks again to everyone who supported this giveaway and for all your kind words about this little blog of ours.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Irish Potato Sayings

April 22, 2018 by Irish American Mom 21 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.