Introduction
Bridia Valley is one of several mountain glens hidden in the quiet corners of the McGillicuddy Reeks, South Kerry. The people here are hill farmers, mostly raising blackface sheep. Revenue fell when prices for sheep wool collapsed some years ago. The valley is served by two small shops and a pub, some miles away. Over the years the local population has seriously diminished. Most of the young folk are getting a secondary education in nearby Killorglin. Afterwards they are moving on to further education and then working elsewhere. They are not returning to the hills.
English is the spoken language in Bridia but with a huge contribution from remaining Irish language remnants. The area remains culturally rich, with traditions, folklore and language remaining. Unfortunately, no anthropologist, historian or folklorist has ever gathered material here.
The seanfhocail presented here were collected by a local doctor, who attended to some of the inhabitants of Bridia valley. You may recognise some sayings; others are older and possibly unique to the area.
MH. 04/04/2026.
The seanfhocail of John Clifford, which came originally from Bridia Valley in Glencar County Kerry,
John Clifford (1911-2004) gave me these seanfhocail in the later years of his life. He received them in his youth from his grandmother Peggy O’Sullivan, whose people came from Bridia valley in Glencar. He used to say that the first seanfhocail “Is mairg a bhíonn shíos i gcéad lá, tagann gach mhaith le cháirde” was the most important one. The old people of Bridia recited this seanfhocail when they heard news of a tragedy. The depth of wisdom of these people is evident in that no matter what the calamity, they realized that ‘every good comes in time’. The seanfhocail are written exactly as John gave them to me.
Pat Gallagher, Killorglin, July 2013.
Seanfhocail na mBraighde – Bridia Valley, Glencar.
-Is mairg a bhíonn shíos i gcéad lá, tagann gach mhaith le cháirde.
Alas for the person who falls the first day, (but) every good comes in time.
-Cé bhíonn téigeann as nua nach dteigeann as, ní theigeann fear na h-easrachán as. (pr. “high” rachán).
Whoever does or doesn’t come out of it, the interfering man won’t come out of it.
-Ni h-éirigheann a dá dtráigh leis na gobadán
The gobadán (sandpiper) can’t have both sides of the strand.
-Ní leigheas ar an gcathú acht é do smachtú le foighne.
There is no cure for fighting but to control it with patience.
-Is minic a chuir fear na cruadhtain fear na boútha amach (I gcondhaí)
It is often that the person who was hard up, put out the man of the ashes (of the house).
–Casadh na daoine le cheile ach ní casadh na cnoic ná na sleibhte
People meet each other but not the hills and the mountains.
-Is mó í thar lear a thoir do thíar
(Too far) east is west.
-Ni mór duit an síolta ná h-arthrú ós, ní feidir leat na gaoithe a h-iompaighí (present iompaí).
When you cannot change the wind, you must change the sails.
Is mairg a bhíonn a naoín a naoithce (pr. nantha) tagainn an grían ina dhiaidh gach farrainge.
Alas for the person who is down, the sun always comes after the rain.
-Sé an t-ádha is mó a teacht gur tubaiste (pr. tubáiste), cumraoíocht le féine linn.
The greatest luck comes in the shape of misfortune to all of us.
-Ní raibh dá eagla ar aoine riamh
There were never two fears in anyone at the same time.
-An té a goidfeadh a phoinn grein sé ar an rud níos mó.
He who will steal a pin will steal a greater thing.
–Tuigeann fear léann leath-fhocail
An educated man will understand half a word
–Budhtair teisghanaigh is búatha- beathna
Life is what you make of it.
–Is deise é a feasa, gur a bhé liomsa is fearr leat?
It’s nice to be wise, would you like to be me?
Mar a scúbhamíd go léir ós ár dhorais amach, beadh an sráid a granaithe (glanaithe?) again.
If we all swept before our own doors, we would have a clean street.
Bíodh an ciall go léir againn i ndiadh an t-aonach
We’re very wise the day after the fair.
Ní fear agut slídge do dtrúagha air, ná do shoic ar an gcúlainn.
It didn’t matter if you had the sock (blade of the plough) on your shoulder provided the ploughing was done.
An fear broistighéach do fúar sé báis agus do cuireadh é an fear leisgiúíl
The hurried man died and the lazy man buried him.
Eist (pr. est) le fúam na h-abhainn and geóbhair breach.
Listen to the sound of the river and you’ll get a trout.
An té a raghaid a barraithibh, bíon sé go bróinacht fé ndeire.
He who goes borrowing, goes sorrowing.
An rud nua nác fhios agut ní bhiodh an triobolóid agut sa féin (Pr. an rud, núná® fhios agut…)
What you don’t know won’t trouble you.
Is fearr agut a rugadh tú leis an t-ádh ná an saibhreas i bhfaid.
Better to be born lucky than rich.
Tógad an domhain go bhfuiriste agus tagainnse ann go moill (pr. mall).
Take the world easy and the world will take you easy.
Báis a laoghtha (pr. liatha) a deir aca Día (aca= in the name of).
The Lord is the safeguard in death.
Scéal a h-airig an scéal (arís), sceál fein scéal gach aoinne.
A story tells a story, a person’s story is everyone’s story (or everybody with their story).
Ná bhriseadh nuá ná deineadh an react lón.
Don’t break law and don’t make law.
Gor an bé a bhreith ar na gcómharsion leat, sé mar agut féin.
It by yourself you judge your neighbours.
Sé an leanbh dóite á im eagla a gcomhair na theine.
A burnt child fears the fire.
Is fearr agut a bheit cinnte na níos ar go bhróin.
It’s better to be sure than sorry.
Is bog agam bláthach nuair a bhíonn mo bholg lán de.
I have no meas in buttemilk when my stomach is full of it.
Moll an óige and tiocfaidh said.
Praise the youth and they will succeed.
Sé an díabhail a fhios agut níos fearr ar an peaca díabhail.
The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t.
Is feidir leat an capaill a thógaint go dtí an lacáin-bhrúach ach ní feidir leat a cuireich é ar deoch –ól.
You can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.
Ní cuireann ceann críonna ar gcúlainn óige.
You can’t put an old head on young shoulders.
Foil orm a deir an droich gnó.
The bad work will tell you come back again.
An éantha le cleithe céanna, a cruinniú le céile
Birds of a feather flock together.