One of Belfast's most distinguished citizens, Robert Shipboy MacAdam (1805-1895) was not just a successful industrialist, but one who contributed immeasurably to cultural life in Ireland. His great passion was the Irish language, and he championed its study and preservation with distinction and enthusiasm.This is the first complete collection of MacAdam's 600 Gaelic proverbs with English translations, from a leading collector of Irish manuscripts, folklore, songs and proverbs in the 19th century. The proverbs provide a key to the study of the language of the time, for the expert, while leaving a glimpse of a bygone way of life to the novice or non-Irish-speaker.
