the sow that eats its farrow



the sow that eats its farrow

Ireland. The phrase comes from James Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: “Do you know what Ireland is? asked Stephen with cold violence. Ireland is the old sow that eats her farrow.” A “farrow” is a litter of newborn piglets, and the reference is Joyce's belief that Ireland had a history of destroying its writers, admirable political figures, and indeed everything that should be saved and nurtured.
See also: eats, sow

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
VernaVUR-nəEnglish
BryceBRIESEnglish
Tiphanie-French
Rhiannonhri-AN-ahn (Welsh), ree-AN-ən (English), REE-ən-ən (English)Welsh, English, Welsh Mythology
Donovan-Irish, English
Maryannmer-ee-AN, mar-ee-ANEnglish