Five Seanfhocail (Irish Proverbs) and What They Really Mean
The Irish call proverbs seanfhocail — "old words." Here are five of the most loved, and the quiet wisdom tucked inside each one.
Every language keeps its wisdom in short, worn phrases handed down through generations. In Irish they're called seanfhocail — literally "old words" — and they're some of the most beautiful lines in the language. Here are five worth carrying with you.
1. Ní neart go cur le chéile
"There is no strength without unity." (Literally: no strength until putting together.) It's the whole spirit of Irish community life in five words — nothing great was ever built alone.
2. Is fearr Gaeilge bhriste ná Béarla cliste
"Broken Irish is better than clever English." If you ever feel shy about your first stumbling words — this proverb is for you. Trying, imperfectly, always beats not trying at all. Keep it close as you learn.
3. Tús maith leath na hoibre
"A good start is half the work." Begin well and you're already halfway there. (You're reading this, so — consider it started.)
4. Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí
"Praise the young and they will flourish." Encouragement grows people. A gentle reminder that a kind word does more than criticism ever could.
5. Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine
"It is in each other's shelter that people live." Perhaps the loveliest of them all — scáth means both "shadow" and "shelter." We survive by looking out for one another. There's a whole worldview in that single line.
That's the thing about seanfhocail: each one is a tiny lesson in how to live, folded into a phrase you can memorise in a breath.