Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí
Word for wordPraise the youth and she will come
What it meansPraise the young and they will flourish.
Approximate pronunciation guide
mull un OH-geh AH-gus TUK-ee shee
Written for English speakers and editorial rather than sourced. It will get you close enough to be understood, and it is not a substitute for a native speaker. Recorded audio is planned; see About.
When to use it For a teacher’s card, a graduation, or a nursery wall.
About this saying
Genuine advice about raising the young, with none of the usual proverb pessimism: praise works, and the young come on when praised. The óige is grammatically feminine, which is why “she” will come. The she is youth itself, not a particular child. Ó Dónaill prints the same proverb with the reduced conjunction, Mol an óige is tiocfaidh sí; this fuller form is the one in the Government of Ireland’s own list.
Provenance
Where this wording comes from. We publish nothing we cannot point at.
- GovernmentGovernment of Ireland: ireland.ie11 seanfhocail (proverbs) that unlock timeless wisdom through the Irish languageimage alt text: "Irish seanfhocail: Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí"