DASG Blog

Seanfhaclan a' Gheamhraidh

“They that wont have a joyful Christmas will have a fast to spite it”: Although this saying discusses Christmas only I would like to extend this to Winter, it is healthy for us to recognise and mark the changing of the season and the year. The start of winter is observed in may ways and it is noted in idioms and proverbs.
For people and a heritage that is dependent on perceiving the seasons and nature itself it is important that the Gaels have a link and knowledge of the seasons and this is celebrated in many proverbs. There are many of them published in books and other publications: “Gaelic Proverbs”, by Alexander Nicolson; and “Campbell Collection of Gaelic Proverbs and Sayings”, for example, but we shall start with what we have in our word-lists:
 
Faclan bhon t-Sluagh

• “Am bronnach geamhraidh ’s an seang earraich.” (“The big-belly of winter and the slender of Spring”) [Counsel of the shape of stirks throughout the winter.]
• “Am fear a thug do thigh samhraidh togadh e do thigh geamhraidh.” [...]
• “Ceò geamhraidh; cathadh earraich.” (Winter mist; Spring snowdrift) [Usual weather of the two seasons.]
• “Geamhradh reotaineach / Earrach ceothaineach / Samhradh breac, riamhach / Is foghar geal grianach / Cha d’fhàg gort riabh an Alba.” (Frosty winter; Misty Spring; Speckled, brindled Summer; And a fair, sunny Autumn; [They] never left a famine ever in Scotland).
• “Gheibheadh tu geamhradh math nan robh earrach geal, grianach ann agus foghar breac riabhach na dhèidh.” (You would get a good winter if there was a fair, sunny spring and a speckled, brindled Autumn after it).
• “Is samhradh gach geamhradh gu Nollaig agus chan earrach e gu Fèill Phàdruig.” (“Every winter is summer up to Christmas and it isn’t Spring until Saint Patrick’s Day.”)
• “Stamh earrach, duileasg samhraidh, mircean fobhair, dualach geamhraidh.” (Spring tangle, summer dulse, autumn badderlocks, winter locks).

 
“Gaelic Proverbs” le Alasdair MacNeacail

• 11 – Am bronnach a’ gheamhraidh ’s an seang Earraich.
• 138 – Cha robh Samhradh riamh gun ghrian;

Geamhradh riamh gun sneachd;
Cha robh Nollaig mhòr gun fheòil;
No bean òg le deòin gun fhear.
(There was never a summer without sun;
Winter without snow;
Christmas without meat;
Or a young woman with will without a man.) [Four this “supposedly” to be “true”!]

• 144 – Cha tig Geamhradh gu cùl Callainn, Earrach gu cùl Fhèill Pàraig. (Winter wont come until the back of Hogmanay, Spring until the back of Saint Patrick’s Day). [Delay in the weather of Scotland].
• 164 – Clachair Samhraidh, dìol-dèirc Geamhraidh. (Summer builder, winter begger) [Account of the adversity of workers of old.]
• 180 – Dèan cnuasachd san t-Samhradh a nì an Geamhradh a chur seachad. [“Gather in Summer what you will serve for Winter”.]
• 189 – Dorcha, doireannta, dubh

Chiad trì làithean den Gheamhradh;
Ge b’e bheir gèill don sprèidh, [whomever depends on cattle]
Cha tugainn fhèin gu Samhradh.
(“Dark, stormy, black,
First three days of Winter
Whomever depends on cattle,
I wouldn’t see him through to Summer.”)
[Trouble of a crofter and farmer.]

• 208 – Foghar gu Nollaig, Is Geamhradh gu Fèill Pàdraig;

Earrach gu Fèill Peadair; Samhradh gu Fèill Màrtainn. (“Autumn until Christmas, And Winter until St. Patrick’s Day; Spring until St. Peter’s Day, Summer until St. Martin’s Day.”)

• 222 – Geamhradh reòthanach, Earrach ceòthanach,

Samhradh breac-riabhach is Foghar geal grianach, cha d’fhàg gorta riamh an Alba.

• 257 – Is e an Geamhradh a nì ’n cathadh Earraich. (“It’s the winter that makes the Spring snowdrift.”)
• 258 – Is e ’n Geamhradh luath an Geamhradh buan. (“It’s the early winter that is the eternal winter.”) [It will last for longer because of it.]
• 288 – Is ioma mùthadh a thig air an oidhche fhada Gheamhraidh. (“There are many changes that come in a long winter night.”)
• 367 – Na pòs as t-Fhoghar, 

’S dèan foighidinn sa Gheamhradh
Bidh tu cabhagach as t-Earrach,
’S bidh gainn’ air aran as t-Samhradh.
(“Don’t marry in Autumn
And be patient in Winter
You will be busy in Spring,
And bread will be scarce in Summer.”) [Advice for marrying.]
 
“Campbell Collection of Gaelic Proverbs and Sayings”

• 67 – An dèidh torrann geamhraidh, thig sìde ro-mhath, no sìde nan seachd siantan. (After winter thunder, come excellent weather, or weather of the seven elements.”) [After winter storms the weather is very changeable at the extremes of each sort.]
• 121 – Bainne geamhraidh, mil bho thalamh. (“Winter milk, honey from the earth.”) [Nothing beats warm, creamy milk of winter.]
• 154 – Bheir mireag chuileag sa gheamhradh an gnàithseach gu bròn. (“Flies dancing in winter will bring sorrow to the farmer.”) [Where there is warmth in winter there will be flies and sickness involved.]
• 832 – Tha an droch dhuine a’ gabhail an aiseig ri oidhche dhorcha dhoinneannach Gheamhraidh ’s a bhàta briste. (“The poor person is taking the ferry on a dark, stormy night and the boat is broken.”) [Said about somebody, in a poetic way, who has passed, on “the river of death” as people say].
• 882 – Thug thu ’n Geamhradh leat.

Do you recognise the proverbs or the sayings above? Do you have a proverb or saying that is connected to winter? Let us know on facebook, twitter and our website, and may you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!