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Donald Trump read out an Irish 'proverb' today, but it might actually be a Nigerian poem

“Always remember to forget the friends that proved untrue.” What?

Tweet by @TheJournal Politics TheJournal Politics / Twitter TheJournal Politics / Twitter / Twitter

IRELAND HAS MANY great proverbs. “May the road rise to meet you.” That’s the most famous one. “Maireann na daoine ar scáil a chéile.” That’s one you probably learned for your Leaving Cert.

But the one that Trump recited today after his meeting with Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the White House? It’s not one many people had heard before.

Can’t see the video? Click here.

As we stand together with our Irish friends, I’m reminded of a proverb – and this is a good one, this is one I like, I’ve heard it for many, many years and I love it.
Always remember to forget the friends that proved untrue, but never forget to remember those that have stuck by you.

A lot of Irish people were left confused by Trump’s ‘proverb’, mainly because they’d never heard of it.

Tweet by @The Irish For 🏌🐕 The Irish For 🏌🐕 / Twitter The Irish For 🏌🐕 / Twitter / Twitter

So where does this “Always remember to forget” line come from?

It’s listed as a ‘self-esteem poem’ on this website:

an ocean ellenbailey.com ellenbailey.com

It also appears on this page of ‘St Patrick’s Day blessings’, along such classically Irish phrases as “Dance as if no one were watching”:

st patricks day english-zone.com english-zone.com
FitnessAndFreebies.com also has it as an Irish blessing:

always remember

While according to Poemhunter, it’s a line from the poem Always Remember, by a Nigerian poet called Albashir Adam Alhassan.

poemhunter Poemhunter Poemhunter

A few royalties wouldn’t go amiss for poor old Albashir, we’d wager.

Dear Team Trump: Might we suggest you consult the Leaving Cert syllabus for a more suitable proverb next time? All the best, Ireland.

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“I really love Ireland” – Trump says he’s coming to Ireland after invite from ‘new friend’ Enda Kenny>

A version of this article was written by Valerie Loftus and posted on DailyEdge.ie

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47 Comments
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    Mute Fionnán Long
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:36 PM

    He never said it was an Irish proverb. Dire clickbait.

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    Mute John003
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:02 PM

    Does anyone know where Gerry Adams and Mary Lou were today…Were always there during Bush and Obama presidency

    41
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    Mute John O Chrualaoich
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:15 PM

    https://youtu.be/O3igggNc8yU

    Friends…… Political friends, Fiola friends

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    Mute Boganity
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:11 PM

    @Fionan Long: So he’ll be reading out an Irish proverb on Nigerian national day then ?

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    Mute Shane O Malley
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:53 PM

    @Fionnán Long: are you deaf ?

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    Mute Boganity
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    Mar 17th 2017, 1:19 AM

    Deaf, dumb and blind ?

    3
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    Mute Celine McGowan
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:41 PM

    He didn’t say “Irish proverb”, he just said “that proverb”. Believe me, I’m all for a bit of Trump-bashing, but this is exactly the kind of stuff his supporters can point to when they say the MSM is out to get him. Surely he says enough truly ludicrous stuff that we can show him up by sticking to the facts???

    166
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    Mute Boganity
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    Mar 17th 2017, 4:42 AM

    I agree and I’m looking forward to him doing an Irish proverb on Nigeria’s national day, he my even do a German one on Israel’s national day. Arbeit macht frei would be a good choice can’t go wrong.

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    Mute Celine McGowan
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    Mar 17th 2017, 9:15 AM

    @Boganity: he doesn’t have to do an Irish one on Nigeria’s national day since *he* didn’t say the one he used yesterday was Irish. The article has decided it was an Irish proverb in its headline, attempting to make Trump look foolish. I believe he’s more than capable of doing that all by himself.

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    Mute Odie Behan
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    Mar 17th 2017, 12:18 PM

    @Celine McGowan: A lot of people are saying he didn’t say it was an Irish proverb, a lot more are saying it was implicit in the context, what seems sure is that whether it was a proverb or a poem, it was written by an esteemed member of the Nupe tribe who are 94% Islam, so heads up to Donald for reaching out, unless someone was taking the Green pint outa him :)

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    Mute Hello there friend
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:33 PM

    I love this guy :-)

    80
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    Mute Boganity
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    Mar 17th 2017, 1:18 AM

    This administration is comedy gold : Trump’s “Irish” proverb was written by Nigerian Albashir Adam Alhassan. If he’s Muslim it’ll be a delicious irony.

    32
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    Mute EdmundOrlando
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    Mar 17th 2017, 3:07 AM

    @Hello there friend: now say it like Trump would say it.

    ” I love this guy, I really do. Great guy, I mean it, he’s gonna be great, this guy!”

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    Mute Boganity
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    Mar 17th 2017, 4:32 AM

    And then he’ll bar him and he won’t be allowed into the USA again

    3
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    Mute Olajumoke Falade-George
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    Mar 17th 2017, 8:46 AM

    @Boganity: Alhassan is indeed a Muslim Boganity.

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    Mute Dj
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:52 PM

    The more I read these pompous articles the more I’m starting to like Trump.

    85
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    Mute Boganity
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    Mar 17th 2017, 4:45 AM

    If you left the word “starting” out of that comment it would have been believable.

    5
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    Mute Finbarr Lucey
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:03 PM

    Ireland could do with the likes of trump here.

    56
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    Mute Boganity
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    Mar 17th 2017, 4:45 AM

    True, we need a good laugh

    7
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    Mute Emmet O'Keeffe
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:43 PM

    Seriously, Democrats/liberals are the pits aren’t they.
    They really need to get a life.

    54
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    Mute Boganity
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    Mar 17th 2017, 4:43 AM

    Ouch…is that the best you can do, really!

    8
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    Mute Odie Behan
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    Mar 17th 2017, 12:24 PM

    @Emmet O’Keeffe: Yeah, they should come over here and learn how to be real politicians :) Why don’t they come over here on July 4th every year and bring us a few bowls of Four leaved Shamrocks, no clover mind :) Orange bowls preferred.

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    Mute Ron North
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:39 PM

    I think Mark Littles tweet was fairly close to being an Irish Proverb.

    27
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    Mute lavbeer
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:53 PM

    @Ron North: Yes I have heard that one before alright !

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    Mute sparky
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:39 PM

    Donald must have told Enda before their press conference..” Pog mo thóin” because that he surely did..

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    Mute The Crant
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:53 PM

    @sparky: Your a begrudging auld git

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:34 PM

    Poor old Albashir has no chance of entering the USA anymore……

    38
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    Mute Rose Toolan
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:44 PM

    Well done, this time Trump is definitely finished, how will he ever recover?

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    Mute SomeRandomIrishGuy
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:37 PM

    So he basically said “Fudge you enda”!

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    Mute Dave Thomas
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:44 PM

    I read between the lines on that too.

    18
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    Mute Boganity
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:13 PM

    He wouldn’t have know anything about Kenny until his staff briefed him 5 minutes before the meeting

    13
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    Mute Dave cullen
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:29 PM

    He realised how much of a pet Kenny is,good boy sit.

    17
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    Mute Palbears
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:17 PM

    He’s entertaining if nothing else

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    Mute Michael O'mal
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    Mar 17th 2017, 12:29 AM

    True he never said it was an irish proverb,just shows
    you how people are brainwashed

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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Mar 17th 2017, 3:42 AM

    @Michael O’mal: I rather have a Spike Milligan poem?

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    Mute Pinkpantheroz
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    Mar 17th 2017, 6:32 AM

    @Alois Irlmaier: It makes more sense:

    On the Ning Nang Nong
    Where the Cows go Bong!
    and the monkeys all say BOO!
    There’s a Nong Nang Ning
    Where the trees go Ping!
    And the tea pots jibber jabber joo.
    On the Nong Ning Nang
    All the mice go Clang
    And you just can’t catch ‘em when they do!
    So its Ning Nang Nong
    Cows go Bong!
    Nong Nang Ning
    Trees go ping
    Nong Ning Nang
    The mice go Clang
    What a noisy place to belong
    is the Ning Nang Ning Nang Nong!!
    Spike Milligan

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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Mar 18th 2017, 10:16 PM

    @Pinkpantheroz: The joys of Spike…

    1
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    Mute marg fitzgerald
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:39 PM

    Now that Trump has two “new friends” will we forget that he is a racist misogynistic narcissistic megalomaniac? Sure it was only “in terms of the language he used”…..like locker-room talk!

    19
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    Mute lavbeer
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    Mar 16th 2017, 9:54 PM

    @marg fitzgerald: locker room talk is everyone – not just potus.

    10
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    Mute John003
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:01 PM

    You forgot xenophobic. Islamophic and he hates orphans and poor children and has said very mean things about the media and hates polar bears and Christmas

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    Mute Francis Mc Carthy
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    Mar 17th 2017, 6:11 AM

    @John003: “He hates poor children” – Well spotted John!! You have obviously seen his budget proposals ..Yikes!

    I do wonder are the people from the Rust Belts extremely sorry that they voted for this snake oil salesman called Trump ?!!?

    3
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    Mute John O'Driscoll
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    Mar 17th 2017, 2:43 AM

    Here’s an old Irish proverb for him: what’s the difference between and apple and an orange? No such thing as an apple bastar….

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    Mute John O'Driscoll
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    Mar 17th 2017, 2:44 AM

    Except it strikes one that joke’s superannuated for sound 13 billion reasons. Tax free reasons.

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    Mute Odie Behan
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    Mar 17th 2017, 12:38 PM

    @John O’Driscoll: What about peaches ? I thought he said I’m not orange, Impeach, or maybe that was someone else.

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    Mute Teddy
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:59 PM

    Them bloody Nigerians probably stole it,

    12
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    Mute Fear Uisce
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    Mar 16th 2017, 11:37 PM

    @Teddy: that bloody prince again

    7
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    Mute Gerard Henry
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    Mar 16th 2017, 10:02 PM

    Enda knew he was in the company of greatness

    1
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