There’s no hearth like your own hearth. There’s no place like home.
2. Ní neart go cur le chéile.
There’s no strength without unity. You’re only as strong as your weakest link.
3. Aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile.
A beetle recognises another beetle. It takes one to know one. Birds of a feather flock together.
4. Ní thagann ciall roimh aois.
Sense does not come before age. Wisdom comes with age.
5. Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. (Bual sa tóin í agus titfidh sí.)
Praise the youth and she will come. (Hit her in the bottom and she’ll fall.) Praise young people and they will prosper. (Be negative and they will fail.)
6. Is fearr rith maith ná droch-sheasamh.
A good run is better than a bad stand. It’s better to turn and run away and live to fight another day.
7. Is minic a bhris béal duine a shrón.
It is often that a person’s mouth broke his nose. It is often a person’s mouth gets them in trouble.
8. Nuair a bhíonn an t-ól istigh bíonn an chiall amuigh.
When the drink is in, the sense is out. When someone has been drinking, they often talk nonsense.
9. Fág an drochscéal san áit a bhfuair tú é.
Leave the bad story where you found it. There is nothing to be gained from carrying a bad burden.
10. Molann an obair an fear
The work praises the man. You tell a lot about a person from their work.
11. Ní hé lá na gaoithe lá na scoilbe.
A windy day is not a day for thatching. There’s a time and a place for everything. Don’t react in the heat of the moment
12. Bíonn blás ar an mbeagán.
Little things tend to be tasty. Good things come in small packages.
13. Tús maith leath na hoibre.
A good start is half the job. A good start is half the battle.
14. Is binn béal ina thost. A silent mouth is sweet. Silence is golden.
15. An rud is annamh is iontach.
What’s seldom is best What’s rare is wonderful.
16. Is fearr an tsláinte ná an táinte.
Your health is better than your wealth. It’s better to be healthy than to have loads of money.
17. Is olc an ghaoth ná séideann maith do dhuine éigin.
It’s a bad wind that doesn’t blow good for somebody. Someone always benefits from adversity.
18. Is maith an t-anlann an t-ocras.
Hunger is a great sauce. Being starved of success makes you go the extra mile to achieve.
19. Is glas iad na cnoic i bhfad uainn.
Far away hills are greener. Things aren’t always better on the other side. 20. Giorraíonn beirt bothar.
Two people shorten the journey. It’s always better to have company.
21. I dtír na ndall is rí é fear na leathshúl.
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. Possession is nine tenths of the law.
22. Is minic a bhíonn an ciúin ciontach.
The quiet one is often the guilty one. The guilty one will often hold their tongue.
23. Ní bhíonn saoi gan locht.
There isn’t a wise man without fault. Nobody’s perfect.