#seanfhocail

(Dead from tea and dead without it!)

Today is the feast of St Bridget and the start of Imbolc ! Imbolc is derived from i mbolg (in the belly) because the seeds of spring were sown in the belly of Mother Nature !

Ní bhíonn an rath, ach mara mbíonn an smacht

There is no prosperity unless there is discipline.

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Gheibheann cos ar siúl rud éigin.

A moving leg gets something.

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Imíonn an tuirse ach fanann an tairbhe.

The tiredness leaves but the profit remains.

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Bíonn siúlach scéalach.

Travellers have tales to tell.

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Níor dhún Dia doras riamh nár oscail Sé ceann eile.

God never closed one door without opening another.

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An rud a ghoilleas ar an gcroí caithfidh an t-súil é a shileas.

"Is maol gualainn gan bhráthair" - ceann de na seanfhocail Gaelacha is fearr liom. Is dócha gur dheineann sé tagairt do "mhúrtha sciatha", eagar catha ina throid gaiscígh taobh le taobh. Throid gach fear le ga ina lámh dheis. Chosain gach éinne taobh deis a chomharsan leis an sciath a bhí ina lámh chlé. Mar sin, eagar fíor-dhaingean a bhí ann. Dá mbriseadh an "múr" seo, áfach, bheadh easpa cosanta dóibh siúd a bhí in aice leis an mbearna! Tá an tagairt is sine do fhoirm den seanfhocal seo le feiceáil i "mBuile Shuibhne", téacs ó ré na Meán-Gaelainne. Sa téacs seo, deirtear gur "toll taobh ó bheith gan bhráthair!"

Tá nasc de saghas éigean idir an seanfhocal seo agus an ainmfhocal "comhghuaillí"! Tá tagann an focal seo ó "comh" + "gualainn" + an iarmhír "-aí/-í" (nó an uimhir iolra de). Ciallaíonn sé gurb é "comhghuaillí" an gaiscíoch a sheas le taobh dhuine i gcath!

"Is maol gualainn gan bhráthair" ("bare is the shoulder without a brother) is one of my favourite Irish language proverbs. It seems to make reference to "shield walls", a battle formation in which warriors fought side by side. Every man fought with a spear in his right hand. Everyone protected their neighbour's right side with a shield in their left hand. As such, it was a very solid formation. If this wall were broken, however, there would be a lack of protection for those who were next to the gap. The oldest reference to a form of this saying is found in "Buile Shuibhne", a Middle Irish text. In this text, the form given is "toll taobh gan bhráthair" - "a pierced side from being without a brother".

"Your feet will bring you to where your heart is."

Yes our ancestors died fighting for a untied Ireland but that also meant keeping our language alive! Is fearr Gaeilge briste, ná Béarla cliste!

Likd they proudly tell people how the only thing they learnt in Gaeilge was can I go to the bathroom (which is seriously getting old). And it’s people like them that want to stop Irish being taught in schools!

I’d be lost without the language and I’m proud that I speak it everyday! Tír gan teanga tír gan anam

Sangyeon:  Is fearr an tsláinte ná an táinte - Health is better than wealth

Jacob:  Is glas iad na cnoic i bhfad uainn - The faraway hills are greener

Younghoon:  Ní mar a shíltear a bhítear - Things aren’t always what they seem

Hyunjae:  I ndiaidh a chéile a thógtar na caisleáin - Rome wasn’t built in a day

New:  Is binn béal ina thost - Silence is golden

Juyeon:  Ní thagann ciall roimh aois - Sense doesn’t come before age

Q:  Taithí a dhéanann máistreacht - Experience brings perfection/Practice makes perfect

Kevin:  Beatha teanga í a labhairt - The life of a language is in it’s speaking

Haknyeon:   Maireann croí éadrom i bhfad - A light heart lives longest

Sunwoo:  Is minic ciúin ciontach - The quiet ones are often guilty

Hwall:  Aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile - It takes one to know one

Eric:  Bíonn blas ar an mbeagán - A little tastes well

The Boyz:  Ní neart go cur le chéile - There’s strength in unity

~Admin A