Dad: If you don’t hit the ball while it hops, it may never hop again.
· Meaning: given a chance – make good use of it.
Mum: You might as well eat the devil as drink his blood.
· She was referring on Friday no meat or frying an egg with fat.
Dad: You can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink.
· Meaning: if somebody does not want to do something, you cannot make him do so
Mum: The way to hell is paved with good intentions.
· Meaning: If you promise to do something do it immediately, don’t put off till tomorrow
Dad: Think before you talk, switch on brain before opening mouth.
· No explanation necessary. A lot of people put their foot in it.
Mum: Watch the pennies, the Pounds take care of themselves.
· Meaning: don’t spend money buying something you don’t need.
Dad: Early to bed and early to rise makes you healthy, wealthy and wise.
· His working-day from sunrise to dusk.
Mum: Necessity is the Mother of invention.
· Her talent to modify cloth was exceptional.
Dad: Why make things easy, when you can nearly make the impossible.
· Meaning: before you start a job, work out the details
Mum: It is more difficult for a rich man to go to heaven, then a camel to go through the eye of a needle.
· Meet ye all in hell.
Dad: man without learning wearing good cloth is like a gold ring on barrow pig’s nose.
· (I don’t know whom he was referring to; I meet the scholars coming home.)
Mum: A little kindness goes a long way,
· Meaning: knock and it shall be opened to you. If you don’t ask, you shall not receive.
Padraic: If you disagree with any of the above: please complain,
I will be happy to include anything
you would like to add.