Irish Wisdom | Irish American Mom

Irish Wit, Wisdom And Humor By Gerd De Ley

March 17, 2018 by Irish American Mom 24 Comments

Irish Wit, Wisdom & Humor collects over 1000 witticisms, musings, deep thoughts, and one-liners from and about Ireland and its people.

To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day today Irish American Mom is hosting a giveaway for a copy of this wonderful compilation.

Before I share the giveaway details, let’s celebrate St. Patrick’s day by delving into some of the quotes selected from Irish Wit, Wisdom & Humor.

The Complete Collection of Irish Jokes, One-Liners & Witty Sayings:

This book features hundreds of authors, poets, comedians, actors, politicians and many more that best represent the Emerald Isle including James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Bono, Edna O’Brien, C.S. Lewis, Sinead O’Connor, George Bernard Shaw, and many others. Here are some favorites.

“Irish is English set to music.”

~ Mary Michael Malloy

“Ireland sober is Ireland stiff.”

~ James Joyce

“In Ireland the inevitable never happens

but the impossible always does.”

~ John P. Mahaffy

“You know it is summer in Ireland

when the rain gets warmer.”

~ Hal Roach

“Every St. Patrick’s Day every Irishman goes out

to find another Irishman to make a speech to.”

~ Shane Leslie

“Ireland is a little Russia

in which the longest way round

is the shortest way home.”

~ George Moore

“I finally found a diet that works in Ireland.

I only eat when the weather’s good.”

~ Hal Roach

“Irishmen are street angels and house devils.”

~ Edna O’Brien

“What is an Irishman but a mere machine

for converting potatoes into human nature?”

~ Edward Kenealy

Here’s my favorite ….

“Let me make a prediction now:

the twenty-first century will be the Age of the Irish.”

~ Mary McAleese

Irish Wit, Wisdom and Humor – The Complete Collection of Irish Jokes, One-Liners & Witty Sayings is written by Gerd De Ley, a former English teacher who has been a professional writer and actor since 1975. From an early age, Gerd has been an avid collector of quotations and proverbs from all over the world and has had more than 450 works published in Holland and Belgium.

His latest compilation of Irish quotations is published by Hatherleigh Press and distributed through Penguin Random House.

Hatherleigh Press graciously provided a copy of Irish Wit, Wisdom and Humor for one lucky reader to win. Here’s how to enter our giveaway.

The Giveaway:

One lucky winner will win a copy of Gerd de Ley’s book Irish Wit, Wisdom and Humor.

To enter just leave a comment on this blog post by noon on Wednesday, March 21st, 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 a favorite Irish quotation.

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 Wednesday, March 21st, 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.st

A big thank you to Hatherleigh Press for helping us celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by sponsoring this wonderful prize.

Winner Chosen:

A winner has been randomly chosen using the Pick Giveaway Winner Plugin for WordPress. The lucky winner of this little book of Irish Wit, Wisdom & Humor is …..

George Neece

I’ll send our an email to let him know the good news. Many thanks to all who entered this giveaway and a big thank you to Hatherleigh Press for sponsoring this prize

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Never Let The Truth Get In The Way Of A Good Story

July 14, 2017 by Irish American Mom 12 Comments

“Never let the truth get in the way of a good story,” is a saying I often heard when I was growing up in Ireland. I automatically assumed it to be an old Irish proverb, but since living in America I learned this quotation is widely attributed to none other than Mark Twain.

Have you ever heard this saying before??

Do you believe it to be an old Irish proverb??

Or perhaps you accept these witty and wise words were first uttered by the wittiest of all Americans, Mark Twain.

The Case To Support The Irish Origins Of This Phrase:

Irish storyteller, Mattie Lennon has called his new CD of Irish stories, ‘Truth and Lies,’ since the notion of including an odd embellishment or two for the sake of a good story is entrenched in Irish tradition.

The fact we’re running a giveaway this week for Mattie’s CD, got me thinking about this old Irish saying, and so arose this very blog post.

There’s another Irish or Gaelic expression that supports this idea and may even be the original expression from where this particular phrase found root. In the Irish oral storytelling tradition, the ‘seanachaí,’ or storyteller often says at the end of a tale:

Sin mo scéal díobh, agus má tá bréag ann, fá é,

Mar ní mise a chum ná a cheap.”

For pronunciation notes – click here.

“That’s my story and if there’s a lie there, so be it,

For it wasn’t me that composed it.”

Gaelic Storm, a Celtic rock band, performs a song bearing the name, “Don’t Let The Truth Get In The Way.” Here are the lines from the chorus ….

“Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story

No harm, no foul, no crime.

Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story

It’ll get ’em everytime.”

Did the songwriter from Gaelic Storm quote Mark Twain in this song, or are these words borrowed from an old Irish proverb? I’m going to assume a Gaelic band is referring to an Irish saying.

“Never Let The Truth Get In The Way Of A Good Story”… Were These Words Ever Uttered By Mark Twain?

For anyone doing an internet search on this saying the inevitable answer found is that Mark Twain is the author of this quotation.

Is this true???? Or have we reached a stage that the notion Twain said it is so utterly entrenched on the world wide web, that there is absolutely no point in arguing against the idea.

Has this internet ‘fact’ regarding Twain, come to be so totally accepted, that there is no changing the belief? True or false, has it become fact simply by repetition of this attribution on multiple websites.

This thought made me laugh, especially when I considered the context of the quote in question.

To complicate matters further, I found a website called the “Unquotable Mark Twain.” Here this saying is included amongst those that should not be attributed to Twain.

But a big question remains … Is uncyclopedia.wikia.com just as unreliable as wikipedia.com?

And so, we may never find the answers to our questions about the origins of this saying.

However, I do not doubt that Twain may have heard and even repeated this expression, especially during his time in Nevada territory when he worked as a miner on the Comstock Lode. Many of his fellow miners where probably Irish.

A Good Life Lesson:

But let’s face it, does it really matter if the attribution of this quotation to Mark Twain is true or not? I think our Irish forefathers, who definitely had their own versions of this saying couldn’t have cared less if it was attributed to Twain, once we realize the saying itself can teach us a good life lesson.

A good life lesson???

How could lying be a good life lesson?

At its essence this saying tells us it’s alright to lie, omit the facts, or twist the plot for the sake of a good story.

Now, don’t worry! I won’t quote this expression to teach my kiddos how to tell a few fibs.

What I believe is this saying’s life lesson, is never to trust what you are being told. Many a story has been embellished or stripped down to its core, solely for the teller’s purpose.

How valuable is that little nugget of knowledge in our world today.

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 21 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 Expressions Of Gratitude For Thanksgiving

November 25, 2015 by Irish American Mom 4 Comments

Proverbs and blessings from Ireland often reflect a deep sense of gratitude, and hopefulness. Despite a tumultuous history, full of trials and tribulations, the wise old words of our Irish ancestors are full of simple appreciation for life.

And so this Thanksgiving I thought why not delve into a little bit of Irish gratitude, to celebrate this beloved American holiday, and our cherished Irish heritage.

Image Credit

The Importance Of Expressing Gratitude:

Good will, beneficial deeds, benevolence, and interpersonal connections are intertwined with and dependent upon the expression of gratitude within a society.

Now that’s quite a mouthful to share with you on this Thanksgiving holiday, but I truly believe success, peace, fulfillment, happiness, and a sense of true satisfaction are all dependent upon gratitude.

How we express this gratitude varies from culture to culture and of course the Irish have some very unique ways of expressing their thankfulness.

Image Credit

Expression Of Gratitude In Irish (Gaelic):

When speaking of our gratitude in Irish we sometimes say “buíochas” (pronounced bwee-kus). This short, simple word for “thanks” is not used as frequently as the phrase …

“Go raibh maith agat!”

Pronunciation goes like this in Munster Irish … GUR-uv Mah ah-guth.

The literal translation of this phrase is “may you have goodness.”

Isn’t that just a lovely way of saying thanks? This simple Irish expression denotes such warmth – a desire for the giver or doer to receive goodness in return for kindness.

Another old Irish way of saying thanks is through this lovely expression ..

“Go méadaí Dia thú!”

Pronunciation, again in Munster Irish, is … Gu may-dee Dee-ah hu.

And here’s the beautiful meaning . Literally it means “may God increase you”, but the true intent of the phrase is “may God make you prosper.”

I remember a neighbor in Cork who would always say to my granny ….. “May God increase you, Mam.” Now he didn’t mean he wanted her to get fat, it was just this simple old Irish expression translated literally into English.

Image Credit

Intensified Expressions of Gratitude:

In Ireland a simple statement of “thanks” is often not good enough. The Irish love to intensify their expressions of gratitude by adding a few extra words. The Irish are very fond of extra words and adjectives.

One of my favorites is …..

“Thanks a million.”

My kids often ask me why I say “thanks a million” so often.

To tell you the truth I had no idea I use this expression so frequently until my kiddos started pointing out my every utterance of these simple words. You know how it goes. It’s fun to pick on Mom when you’re eight

At first I explained it’s just an expression we love to use in Ireland, but then I asked myself why do we Irish say this so often?

In Irish Gaelic we often say :

“Go raibh míle maith agat.”

This literally means “May you have a thousand good things” and is pronounced GUR-uv Mee-la Mah ah-guth.

I suppose when we were switching from speaking Irish to English we thought we’d bestow a million goodnesses, rather than just a mere thousand when we say thanks.

Other intensified expressions include:

“Thank you very, very much.”

And sometimes there are so many “verys” attached you might think there are a million coming your way.

Another variation is the declaration:

“Thank you so, so much …”

I’m sure many of you may have heard an Irish acquaintance say …. “Thank you so, so, very, very much.” The “so’s” or the “very’s” could go on and on and on…… just like an Irish goodbye.

Image Credit

Wise Old Irish Words Of Thanksgiving:

Now to round up this little review of Irish thankfulness I thought I might share some old Irish sayings that display a true attitude of gratitude.

I’m quite certain our forefathers never heard of an attitude of gratitude, but nonetheless many Irish blessings and quotations centering on giving thanks truly do show a deep awareness of how important it is to show appreciation for our blessings.

“Get on your knees

And thank the Lord

You’re on your feet.”

Image Credit

“Count your blessings, not your heartaches.”

“Hem your blessings with thankfulness,

So they don’t unravel.”

Image Credit

“May the dreams you hold dearest,

Be those which come true,

And The kindness you spread,

Keep returning to you.”

“May the blessings of each day

Be the blessings you need most.”

Image Credit

“Always remember to forget

The troubles that passed away.

But never forget to remember

The blessings that come each day.”

Image Credit

“It’s easy to be pleasant when life flows by like a song.

But the man worth while is the one who can smile

When everything goes dead wrong.”

“Praise the good day at the close of it.”

Image Credit

“A kind word never broke anyone’s mouth.”

“Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

Count your gains instead of your losses.

Count your joys instead of your woes;

Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears;

Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean;

Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;

Love your neighbor as much as yourself.”

Image Credit

A Family Feast:

And so as you gather with family and friends to enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, may you keep these Irish words of wisdom in mind as you express your gratitude for the many blessings in your life. And remember ….

The Complete Collection of Irish Jokes, One-Liners & Witty Sayings:

“Irish is English set to music.”

~ Mary Michael Malloy

“Ireland sober is Ireland stiff.”

~ James Joyce

“In Ireland the inevitable never happens

but the impossible always does.”

~ John P. Mahaffy

“You know it is summer in Ireland

when the rain gets warmer.”

~ Hal Roach

“Every St. Patrick’s Day every Irishman goes out

to find another Irishman to make a speech to.”

~ Shane Leslie

“Ireland is a little Russia

in which the longest way round

is the shortest way home.”

~ George Moore

“I finally found a diet that works in Ireland.

I only eat when the weather’s good.”

~ Hal Roach

“Irishmen are street angels and house devils.”

~ Edna O’Brien

“What is an Irishman but a mere machine

for converting potatoes into human nature?”

~ Edward Kenealy

“Let me make a prediction now:

the twenty-first century will be the Age of the Irish.”

~ Mary McAleese

The Giveaway:

Winner Chosen:

George Neece

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

The Case To Support The Irish Origins Of This Phrase:

Sin mo scéal díobh, agus má tá bréag ann, fá é,

Mar ní mise a chum ná a cheap.”

“That’s my story and if there’s a lie there, so be it,

For it wasn’t me that composed it.”

“Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story

No harm, no foul, no crime.

Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story

It’ll get ’em everytime.”

“Never Let The Truth Get In The Way Of A Good Story”… Were These Words Ever Uttered By Mark Twain?

A Good Life Lesson:

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

A Good Start:

“Tús maith, leath na hoibre.”

“A good start is half the work.”

“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.”

“Those who get the name of rising early,

may lie all day.”

“Bíonn gach tosach lag.”

“Every beginning is weak.”

The Importance Of Skill:

“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:

“Unwillingness easily finds an excuse.”

“Laziness is a heavy burden.”

“Poverty waits at the gates of idleness.”

Sin mo scéal díobh, agus má tá bréag ann, fá é,