Can anyone help me translate these two phrases:

First is "déan beart". Saw it as heading on a link to sign a petition. Does it mean something like "Do something"

Second is "déan beart de réir briathair". Does this mean "stick to your word/follow through on your word" or something like that??

Go raibh maith agaibh!

It means generally "take action", and more colloquially "make your move" or "show your hand", so to speak. I used it recently in the sense of "buy it now" for selling something. Essentially they're saying "sign it!" I think you've got the second one right in both senses.

"Beart de réir briathair" is a phrase I have seen and heard a lot. I saw "beart de réir briathair" on a plaque on the wall of a public housing scheme in Summerhill in Dublin. A google search tells me that "Glaine ár gcroí, neart ár ngéag agus beart de réir ár mbriathar" is the motto of the Irish Army Rangers Wing. I heard the Coimisinéir Teanga use the phrase on the radio the other day when launching his Annual Report (in the context of state agencies having language policies in place but not living up to them).

Does anyone know where it comes from?

my 1964 copy of "amhránleabhar Ógra Éireann" gives it as "mana agus móid Ógra Éireann" ... from the Fiannaíocht? I remember one of the kids learning it as a poem for ?Inter/Leaving Cert

I think "beart do réir ár mbriathair" is the motto of one of the Dublin City/County Councils - hence the plaque

edit... "Fíon na Filíochta" 1950s ... gives a poem by Osborn Ó hAimheirgín called "Trí Tréithe na Féinne" in which the quote is the last two lines ... St Patrick is questioning Oisín about the Fíanna

eadaoin

(Message edited by eadaoin on March 31, 2010)

(Message edited by eadaoin on March 31, 2010)

Thanks for the translations Seanw, you made good use of "Déan Beart" for sure.

Interesting to hear the other one comes up a lot Cilleasrach, I'll at least recognise it next time I hear it.

Practice what you preach,is docha.