Emerald Heritage | 8 Irish Sayings We Love
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8 Irish Sayings We Love

If there’s one thing the Irish, and those that hail in some way from the Emerald Isle, have been blessed with it’s the “gift of the gab”. 

So many different facets of the rich Irish culture and heritage we treasure today have been developed and enriched by the language we use, the stories that have been passed down over generations and the sayings that sum up the complexities of life in just a few short words.

If you’re ever stuck for what to say you can be sure there’s an Irish saying out there that perfectly encapsulates your thoughts with humour, wisdom, poetry or some combination of all three!

We thought we’d pick out a few that we love, and that you might enjoy too. 

A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures.

This Irish saying is one of our absolute favourites. 

Life can get pretty stressful in the 21st century rat race and it can be easy to lose sight of things and get distracted or down. However, as this saying rightly points out, there are two cures free to all that are sure to have a positive impact.

There’s nothing better than a craic-filled night with family and friends or a night alone, with solitude and peace in mind. Keep that in mind the next time you’re feeling down and this saying will have done its job! 

Many a time a man's mouth broke his nose.

It’s safe to say that sometimes things are better left unsaid and this Irish saying reminds us that language can be an incredibly powerful tool. This tool can be used for good and bad and sometimes, if the wrong thing is said, it can lead to less than desirable results…

You’ll never plow a field by turning it over in your mind.

Us Irish might be talkers but we also like to do!

As this saying rightly highlights there’s no point in constantly mulling things over or worrying to the point of inaction… As our granny would say “Go out and get on with it!” You’ll feel better and freer no matter what the eventual outcome.

Here’s to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one. A pretty girl and an honest one. A cold pint and another one!

We’ve included this Irish saying as it sums up our thoughts exactly in a quick and funny way. 

It’s also fair to say that a cold pint usually leads to an easier, merrier life so, if you don’t mind, pass us another pint of the black stuff! 

A bad workman quarrels with his tools.

We love this Irish saying primarily for its simplicity.

You’ve probably met plenty of people over the years who prefer to blame absolutely everything and everyone around them rather than look inwards. We prefer the Irish mentality of owning up to your own faults and trying to improve upon them as honestly as possible. 

The older the fiddle the sweeter the tune.

This, in essence, is the Irish version of “respect your elders”.

Older people have always held a specific position of importance within Irish culture and society and that’s in large part due to the incredibly valuable experience they hold inside themselves.

Right now is always the best time to talk to that older family member, friend or neighbour. 

Who gossips with you will gossip of you.

Although we’re blessed with the “gift of the gab” it’s fair to say that loose lips can lead to problems. As a result this Irish saying subtly warns to be wary of the temptation to gossip as it may come back to bite you when you least expect it…

Melodious is the closed mouth.

This is closely linked to our last Irish saying about gossiping. 

Talking is a great skills but, in terms of communication, listening is likely to be the greatest of them all. If you always end up being centre of attention, either on purpose or by accident, take a step back and see where it leads you.

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There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Irish sayings out there floating in the ether and this is simply a small list of our favourites right now.

What Irish sayings do you use? 

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