English As We Speak It in Ireland

of which a collection with translations by John O'Donovan may be seen in the 'Dublin Penny Journal,' I. 258; another in the Rev. Ulick Bourke's Irish Grammar; and sti

were taken from the living lips of the pe

the face by the springy boughs pushed aside by the first: if through a bog, the man behind can always avoid the dangerous holes by seeing the firs

er on duty, who raised hand to cap to salute. But the hand was only half way when a stray bullet whizzed by and knocked off the cap without doing any injury. Whereupon Paddy, perfectly unmoved, stooped down

mless liberty, and replies:-'Oh a cat can

after is often glad to accept something very

ood turn as if it passed completely from his mem

the persons he is going to are his deadly enemies:-tha

authority over people from whom he has the power to ex

em from a beggarman's bag': referring to the good old time when be

do till he tries,' as the duck sai

This distress is only temporary: have patience and things will com

and yet you are loth to part with him for another: 'Bett

id, soone

when he swallowed a bad egg, and heard

a low to a high station, who did well enough while low,

y: 'Oh wait: apples will grow again.' He answers-'Yes if the trees baint cut'-a defiant and ungra

ick): whence the proverb, 'A Kilmallock fire-two

orld for their misdeeds: 'God Almighty o

the master's permission:-'Leave

xcuses or fair promises, the remark is made 'Soft word

og-he will go a part of the road with everyone.' (Moran Carlow.) (A witness said this of a

ttest': the first step in any enterpri

mpany fill their tumblers, ought always to be placed on the middle of the table

th allude to the case of a thrifty man who gathers up a fortune during a lifetime, a

e wants one: 'There never was an old slipper but

ou might as well hang for a sheep as for a lamb': both explain

aten to pay him back in his own coin by saying

is money are

as much as to say if a man wants a

ue is no fault of t

r explanation:-'A nod is as good as a wink to a

en heard among us is:-'

er allusion to the tendency of the world to

bought is not worth bu

n old hat is to set it jauntingly on the head wit

nches.' It is only the person holding any posi

waste is as g

him with butter.' Applied when some insidious cunning

Oh yes, I'm on the baker's list again': i.e

question always asks another': h

long one; and the carman began to grumble. Whereupon Dan, in the utmost good humour, replied:-'Oh you must take the

: said of a little man or a little woman,

to look out and be careful if other boys are mounting up the ladder, lest he may pitch it on their heads. The proverb

speaking ill of another against whom he has a g

y be withdrawn: don't ask too much or you may g

sted-a cow's horn, a dog's

ome:-a scolding wife; a squall

e it here, by a fine old gentleman of the old times:-'Here's that we may

on the table (a jug of what, do you think?) The old blind piper is the happiest of all, an

w:-a highlander's kneebuckle,

i.e., Provide against accidents, against

evil or unworthy motives: that is 'measuri

xpresses his intention to do a similar thing,

n the spur of the moment, toasts suitable to the occasion. Here is one such: 'Here's to the herring that never took

as much as to say, a farmer's wife must co-operat

meaning under the surface the rema

refoot in cold

m boots with other

pense. Many years ago this proverb was quoted by the l

man who is craw-sick-thirsty and sick-

ountry gentleman to go on a visit, holding out as an indu

a man who always makes careful preparations and lay

burn a hole through it': said of a man who

said to a person to make him tak

: 'Don't let your b

f a wary person who has overcome some difficulty. Ha

isfied with inadequate steps when undertaking a diffic

he ford as you find it.' This proverb is a translation from the Irish. It refers to a time when bridges were less general t

or a long time, though people are constantly comp

es thinks the time long. 'It is long waitin

g to come on always thinks the time longe

r wedding': people must liv

to him': i.e. he is here pr

someone says as quite unworthy of credit. In allusion to son

ier': said to a person who

earns': generally applied to a son who

g in regard to a certain matter are unnecessary or

f a girl who is becoming an old maid. A cow is

is is how Katty got out of the pot. One day at dinner in the kitchen Katty Murphy the servant girl sat down on a big pot (as I often saw women do)-for seats were scarce; and in the middle of the dinner, through some incautious movement, down s

the long finger' m

s.' The ducks should have been secured at once as it was k

e is as yet nothing on the table), on the chance that the visitor will say 'No, thank you.' The

ent need first. You find a man hanging by a gad (withe), and you cut

'I will do it by degrees as lawye

e serpent said when he swallow

e would bring a

ut the 17th March (St. Patrick's Day), the winter's cold is

n, but only few of them excel in it: usually pointed at some particular professional man, w

ngs now and then that would be better left unsaid:-'

fleas': if you keep company with bad people you

rawback: in other words do a kind act graciously:-'If

man smoking: Two bad things:-An old man cour

to a man when hi

needed is 'helping the l

punish him for the injury he has done you: let

ain:-'He always wants an egg

fisted ungenerous man:-'If he had only an

out the same age; and this is how he expresses it:-'Whe

rces than one:-'It wasn't on one

est, or any mark of prosperity:-'That's

s in your poc

iple]:-'If anybody asks

at you cannot defend your position (whatever it is), better yield t

ncertain contingency:-'God give you bet

two inconsistent things at the same ti

smooth plausible talk is

fox does not prey on the fowls in his own neighbourhood. Of

n with rough manners often has a ge

nse:-'A crabtree ha

for others, but never acts up to them, 'has a han

missed, and is suspected to have hidden it himsel

or circumstances but rather the reverse as he ad

Much the same as the English 'Spe

t is 'Hear and se

s money are e

will stand at your back. Yes, indeed, 'he'll

rway he saw a fox sitting at the little fire warming himself. Mick instantly spread himself out in the doorway to prevent escape. And so they continued to look at each other. At last Reynard, perceiving that

meant to convey that there is

ant or only half known things:

will do great things, cut a great figure.

'That takes the coal off my pipe'; i.e.

rent-a cow to buy-a girl he wished to marry, &c.-and consoles himself by r

were there? Oh 'all the world and Garrett

ent to London one time. After two years he came home on a visit; but he was now transformed into such a mass of grandeur that he did not recognise any of the old sur

ng says:-'The back of my hand to you,' as much

se which looks fairly hopeful, another says:-Go on Jac

rd and determined attempt at anythi

d second

throw take

man who is notoriously cautious and wide-awake, and the listener say

s said one time that weasels were in the habit of sucking the blood of hares in their sleep; and as weasels had much increased, the hares took to the plan of slee

e story is told of a young lady so beautiful that all the young chiefs of the territory were in love wit