Daily Wisdom Léann an Lae

Daily Wisdom Léann an Lae: Irish Proverbs and Sayings for Each Day of the Year by John Quinn

On New Year’s Day 2026, the author and broadcaster John Quinn passed away. He was celebrated for his ‘idea-centred works of art, crafted with precision’, such as his interview series The Open Mind, radio documentaries like This Place Speaks to Me, and books including Letters to Olive, Walking on the Pastures of Wonder and The Passing Year.

In September 2021, his collection of seanfhocail, Daily Wisdom · Léann an Lae: Irish Proverbs and Sayings for Each Day of the Year, was published and quickly sold out.

Now, to honour John Quinn’s legacy, Red Stripe Press has republished, in paperback format, Daily Wisdom · Léann an Lae, in agreement with his children.

Proverbs from the Irish language – seanfhocail – hark back to a time when Ireland and its people were predominantly agricultural, poor and Catholic. Though centuries old, they are integral to our sense of culture and are rich in wisdom that remains relevant to this day.

Daily Wisdom · Léann an Lae, which includes a seanfhocal for each day of the year alongside commentary and practical exercises for improving vocabulary, covers such wide-ranging topics as farming life, nature and weather, food and drink, wealth and poverty, health and happiness, the power of God, and pastimes and pleasures.

Ideal for seasoned Irish speakers, as well as those coming to the language for the first time, Daily Wisdom · Léann an Lae is a perfect introduction to the untold riches of the Irish proverb tradition.