Book Review by Jo Smith
Saskia Levy Rogers: Words of Gaelic Wisdom – Focail na heagna Gaelaí, Amazon Books, 2025
ISBN: 979-8310437456
RRP: $26.10 (paperback)
In Words of Gaelic Wisdom – Focail na heagna Gaelaí, Saskia Levy Rogers has curated and self-published a collection of 22 Irish proverbs connecting them to modern life with her own philosophy and wide-ranging insights.
Beautifully presented (zoom in on the front cover), the table of contents is listed only in the Irish language adding some mystique to even those truisms we know of old. Breathe relieved though reader, each little kernel of wisdom is expanded upon in English and adorned with the author’s own artistic sketch.
The premise of the book is to provide a new look at old wisdoms, with an Irish cultural twist. More than this, there are sayings that seem particular to the author’s own locale that the author wants to share. Some I had never heard before, ‘‘A little bit of help is better than a lot of pity’. That, in itself, is a feat. If this kind of content appeals to you – but clichés leave you cold – you can feel safe in the hands of Levy-Rogers. Few are what you may expect. Even our beloved Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin saying , has an interesting expansion, ‘there is no sore ass like your own sore ass’. Didn’t see that one coming? Neither did I.
‘Irish proverbs are remarkable for their lucidity, craftiness, and resilience,’ Levy-Rogers writes. These treasures have been tried, tested, found to be true and therefore passed from one generation to the next as guides, little kindnesses – a small survival kit of sorts. The author appears to want to bring these elements to bear in the age of fast and false information and this is achieved many times within the text.
Insight from translations offer part of the value added. Linguistic lovers will delight in the author drawing not only on Irish, but Egyptian, Greek, Italian and Hebrew translations. ‘Praise the young and they will flourish’ becomes, ‘praise the young and they will come…[sic],’. ‘What goes around comes around’ literally translates to – ‘return the betrayal to the betrayer’.
I cannot comment on the veracity of translation – apologies to every teacher who ever tried to educate me otherwise – but from my investigation, it seems robust. The author pauses at times to consider whether some phonetic assistance may scaffold understanding in some way for some of her non-Irish speaking readership. On the other hand, if we consider the Irish language resurgence currently underway and the augmentation of the general level of understanding of the language and education in it, it is nice not to have everything dumbed down. Those with a fáinne and those without will have no problem accessing the value of the book, it is just something that crossed my mind. A personal favourite among the proverbs is undoubtedly, ‘Is fearr Gaeilge bhriste ná Béarla cliste – Broken Irish is better than clever Irish’. Truly, no Irish at all is required for the consumption and enjoyment of this fare.
The author does not position herself in relation to the collection initially but from previous texts we are aware that she is or was an inhabitant of Tory Island off the coast of Donegal. As we go along we learn she is French, quoting her countryman Voltaire who famously said, ‘I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.’ Nothing jars regarding the authenticity of the author though. She is an utterly convincing country(wo)man. Going back to the proverb of tinteán (hearth), the meaning of home, she writes, ‘There are a few factors that contributed to the creation of a real ‘cult’ of the house in Irish culture: for the Irish diaspora, there is the ever-longing nostalgia for home, and the Irish weather created the need for a lot of indoor life and activities. Sadly, the memory of the Famine and the dispossession of Irish homes also played a role in strengthening the Irish reverence for the idea of home.’ I hadn’t known to articulate it thus, but I instantly knew it when it was laid out for me in this way.
I reviewed the digital version of this book. I think texts like this are best enjoyed by hand, aside a fire, as a gift perhaps? Though here I must declare my bias. Snippets of Irish folklore, parental wisdom and cultural insight are my cupán tae. Believe me when I tell you I have more than a handful of such beauties in my possession. Would I add this one? For novelty and never conceding that learning has been completed, I would.
‘You can listen to these proverbs read by an Irish speaker on Tory Island Chronicles, available on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.’
Jo Smith
Jo is a dedicated reader/writer originally from Ireland and now living in Victoria, Australia.
Tinteán 