An Irish blessing can be used for various occasions, including Saint Patrick’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and more. Review the list below and find one to your liking and try it out with friends, family, or loved ones. Brighten someone’s day by wishing them the best.
Our Poet’s Panel has selected the top 12 Irish blessings to start, but most will want to read through all 127.
12 Funny Irish Blessings
1.) May the Good Lord take a liking to you — but not too soon.
2.) May the grass grow long on the road to hell for want of use.
3.) Bless your little Irish heart and every other Irish part.
4.) May the Lord keep you in His hand and never close His fist too tight.
5.) May you be a half-hour in heaven before the Devil knows you’re dead.
6.) When I count my blessings, I count you twice. May God bless you.
7.) May your troubles be as few and as far apart as my Grandmother’s teeth.
8.) May you die in bed at ninety-five years, shot by a jealous husband.
9.) Here’s to your coffin!
May your coffin have six handles of finest silver!
May your coffin be carried by six fair young maids!
And may your coffin be made of finest wood from a 100-year-old tree
that I’ll go plant tomorrow!
10.) As you slide down the banisters of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way.
11.) May the saddest day of the future be no worse than the happiest day of your past.
12.) May you live to be a hundred years, with one extra year to repent.
Irish Blessing Image
An Irish Blessing for Health and Prosperity
13.) May the luck of the Irish
Lead to happiest heights
And the highway you travel
Be lined with green lights.
14.) May good luck be your friend in whatever you do and may trouble to be always a stranger to you.
15.) These things, I warmly wish for you-
Someone to love, some work to do,
A bit of o’ sun, a bit o’ cheer.
And a guardian angel always near.
16.) May good luck be your friend
In whatever you do.
And may trouble be always
A stranger to you.
17.) May Irish angels rest their wings right beside your door.
18.) Here’s health and prosperity,
To you and all your posterity,
And them that doesn’t drink with sincerity,
That they be damned for all eternity.
19.) May the sunshine, all day long,
everything goes right, and nothing wrong.
May those you love bring love back to you,
and may all the wishes you wish come true.
Check out: St. Patrick’s Day Origin and History.
Good Blessings
20.) May you have warm words on a cold evening,
a full moon on a dark night,
and the road downhill all the way to your door.
21.) May your neighbors respect you,
Troubles neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And Heaven accepts you.
22.) Health and long life to you,
Land without rent to you,
A child every year to you,
If you can’t go to Heaven,
May you die in Ireland.
23.) May you live as long as you want,
And never want as long as you live.
24.) May your bed be made in heaven.
25.) Health and long life to you,
The woman of your choice to you,
A child every year to you, Land without rent to you,
And may you die in Ireland.
26.) May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.
27.) May brooks and trees and singing hills join in the chorus too, And
every gentle wind that blows send happiness to you.
Irish Greetings
28.) May the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends gathered below never fall out.
29.) That the enemies of Ireland never meet a friend.
30.) Lucky stars above you,
Sunshine on your way,
Many friends to love you,
Joy in work and play,
Laughter to outweigh each care,
In your heart a song,
And gladness waiting everywhere
All your whole life long!
31.) May the good saints protect you and bless you today,
And may troubles ignore you each step of the way.
32.) May your pockets be heavy,
Your heart be light,
And may good luck pursue you
Each morning and night,
33.) Like the warmth of the sun And the light of the day, may the luck of the Irish shine bright on your way.
34.) May your troubles be less, And your blessings be more, and nothing but
happiness come through your door.
35.) May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, the foresight to know where you’re going, and the insight to know when you’re going too far.
Short Irish Blessings
36.) God between us and all harm.
37.) May the saddest day of your future be no worse
Then the happiest day of your past.
38.) Wishing you a pot o’ gold and all the joy your heart can hold.
39.) May the most you wish for be the least you get.
40.) May you get all your wishes but one so you always have something to strive for.
41.) If God sends you down a stony path, may He give you strong shoes.
42.) May happiness often enter your gate and stay very late. Happy St. Patrick’s Day.
43.) That the ten toes of your feet might always steer you clear of misfortune.
44.) May good fortune be yours, and may your joys never end.
45.) May your right hand always be stretched out in friendship,
And never in want.
Birthday Blessings
46.) May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
That pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.
47.) May you always have:
A world of wishes at your command.
God and his angels close to hand.
Friends and family their love impart,
and Irish blessings in your heart.
48.) May pleasure walk with you;
That luck smile upon you; and
May joy be at home in your heart.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day.
49.) May you always have walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you, those you love near you,
and all your heart might desire.
50.) Wherever you go and whatever you do,
May the luck of the Irish be there with you.
House Blessing – Irish
51.) May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.
52.) For this home and all therein be blessed with God’s love.
53.) May the grace of God’s protection and His great love abide within your home and within the hearts of all who dwell inside.
54.) May your home be filled with laughter, may your pockets be filled with gold, and may you have all the happiness Your Irish heart can hold.
55.) That joy and peace surround you, contentment latches your door, and
happiness be with you now and bless you evermore.
56.) May the lilt of Irish laughter lighten every load,
May the mist of Irish magic shorten every road,
And may you taste the sweetest pleasures
That fortune ere bestowed,
And may all your friends remember.
All the favors you are owed.
57.) These things I warmly wish for you: Someone to love, some work to do,
a bit of o’ sun, a bit o’ cheer, and a guardian angel always near.
58.) May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.
59.) That the sun shines all day long,
May those you love bring love back to you
And may all the wishes you wish come true.
For New Home
60.) May those who love us love us.
And those that don’t love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if He doesn’t turn their hearts,
May He turn their ankles,
So we’ll know them by their limping.
61.) May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,
May good luck pursue you each morning and night.
62.) A world of wishes at your command,
God and his angels close at hand,
Friends and family, their love impart,
And Irish blessings in your heart.
Traditional
63.) May the saint protect ye-
An’ sorrow neglect ye,
An’ bad luck to the one
That doesn’t respect ye
t’ all that belong to ye,
An’ long life t’ yer honor-
That’s the end of my song t’ ye!
64.) May the good saints protect you,
And bless you today.
And may troubles ignore you,
Each step of the way.
65.) May joy and peace surround you,
Contentment latch your door,
And happiness be with you now,
And bless you evermore.
66.) May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks,
May your heart be as light as a song,
That each day bring you bright, happy hours,
That stay with you all the year long.
67.) Leprechauns, castles, good luck, and laughter.
Lullabies, dreams, and love ever after.
A thousand welcomes when anyone comes…
That’s the Irish for You!
68.) May good luck be your friend
In whatever you do.
And may trouble be always
A stranger to you.
69.) May you have the love that never ends,
lots of money, and lots of friends.
Health be yours, whatever you do,
and may God send many blessings to you!
May the Road Rise to Meet You
(The classic as seen in more needle stitch works than perhaps any other verse.)
70.) May the roads rise to meet you.
May the wind be at your back.
(And) May the sun shine warm upon your face;
The rainfall soft upon your fields
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Irish Family Blessing
71.) May the grace of God’s protection
And His great love abide
Within your home-within the hearts
Of all who dwell inside.
72.) May your feet never sweat,
your neighbor gives you ne’re a treat.
When flowers bloom, I hope you’ll not sneeze,
and may you always have someone to squeeze!
73.) Whenever there is happiness
Hope you’ll be there too,
Wherever there are friendly smiles
Hope they’ll smile on you,
Whenever there is sunshine,
Hope it shines especially for you to make each day
for you as bright as it can be.
74.) May your troubles be less,
And your blessing be more.
And nothing but happiness,
Come through your door.
75.) May you enjoy the four greatest blessings:
Honest work to occupy you.
A hearty appetite to sustain you.
A good woman to love you.
And a wink from the God above.
76.) May brooks and trees and singing hills
Join in the chorus too,
And every gentle wind that blows
Send happiness to you.
77.) When the first light of the sun bless you.
When the long day is done, bless you.
In your smiles and your tears bless you.
Through each day of your years, bless you.
78.) May the sunshine, all day long,
everything goes right, and nothing wrong.
May those you love bring love back to you,
and may all the wishes you wish come true!
79.) Lucky stars above you,
Sunshine on your way,
Many friends to love you,
Joy in work and play-
Laughter to outweigh each care,
In your heart a song-
And gladness waiting everywhere
All your whole life long.
80.) May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow.
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
Irish Blessing Meme
Irish Friendship Blessing
81.) May the friendships you make,
Be those which endure,
And all of your grey clouds
Be small ones for sure.
And trusting in Him
To Whom we all pray,
May a song fill your heart,
Every step of the way.
82.) May you live a long life
Full of gladness and health,
With a pocket full of gold
As the least of your wealth.
83.) He who loses money loses much;
He who loses a friend loses more;
And he who loses faith loses all.
84.) May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun.
And find your shoulder to light on.
To bring you luck, happiness, and riches.
Today, tomorrow, and beyond.
85.) May the dreams you hold dearest,
Be those which come true,
The kindness you spread,
Keep returning to you.
Irish Blessing Friendship
86.) May the saint protect ye-
An’ sorrow neglect ye,
An’ bad luck to the one
That doesn’t respect ye
t’ all that belong to ye,
A long life t’ yer honor-
That’s the end of my song t’ ye!
87.) May the lilt of Irish laughter lighten every load,
May the mist of Irish magic shorten every road,
And may you taste the sweetest pleasures that fortune ere bestowed,
And may all your friends remember all the favors you are owed.
88.) That good luck be your friend
In whatever you do
And may trouble be always
A stranger to you.
89.) May the blessing of light be on you,
light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you
and warm your heart
till it glows like a great peat fire.
90.) That you live a long life Full of gladness and health, With a pocket full of gold As the least of your wealth. May the dreams you hold dearest, Be those which come true, The kindness you spread, Keep returning to you.
Old Irish Blessing
Some of these old Gaelic blessings were adapted from the breastplate of Saint Patrick. As such, many have a religious component addressing God or saints.
91.) May you have love that never ends,
lots of money, and lots of friends.
Health be yours, whatever you do,
and may God send many blessings to you.
92.) May the good saints protect you,
And bless you today.
And may troubles ignore you,
Each step of the way.
93.) May God gives you:
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
And or every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.
94.) May your troubles be less,
And your blessing be more.
And nothing but happiness,
Come through your door.
95.) May joy and peace surround you,
contentment latch your door,
and happiness be with you now
and bless you evermore.
What are your favorite Irish blessings? Please let us know via the contact page.
Proverbs
96.) The best way to keep loyalty in a man’s heart is to keep money in his purse.
97.) It’s no use boiling your cabbage twice.
98.) Do not resent growing old, for many are denied the privilege.
99.) God is good but never dance in a small boat.
100.) You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.
Irish Toasts
Many Irish toasts and blessings are virtually interchangeable.
101.) May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.
102.) May the grass grow long on the road to hell for want of use.
103.) Health and long life to you.
104.) May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night, and a smooth road all the way to your door.
105.) May you get the reward in Heaven that’s been denied you for your goodness here on earth.
106.) I have known many, liked not a few, loved only one; I drink to you.
107.) May the hinges of our friendship never grow rusty.
108.) May you be half an hour in Heaven before the Devil knows you’re dead.
Irish Wedding Blessing
109.) To love and laughter, and happily ever after.
More Irish Toasts
Love Blessing
110.) Here’s to our wives and girlfriends: May they never meet!
111.) If I had a flower for every time I thought of you; I could walk through my garden forever.
112.) When the roaring flames of your love have burned down to embers, may you find that you’ve married your best friend.
113.) Happiness being a dessert so sweet, May life gives you more than you can ever eat.
114.) Wherever you go and whatever you do, May the luck of the Irish be there with you.
Irish Christmas Blessing
115.) May the blessing of Christmas be with you,
May the Christ Child light your way,
And may God’s holy angels guide you,
And keep you safe each day.
116.) May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch on your door,
And happiness be guided to your home by the candle of Christmas.
117.) The magic of Christmas lingers on,
Though childhood days have passed,
Upon the common round of life
A Holy Spell is cast.
118.) May you be contented as Christmas finds you all year-round.
119.) May peace and plenty be yours,
For many, a Christmas to come.
120.) May the Virgin and her Child lift your latch on Christmas night.
Irish Blessing Quotes
121.) The rose and the shamrock will always remind me,
Of lanes in the hills that I left far behind me.
E. Gary Brooks
122.) O, Ireland isn’t it grand you look,
Like a bride in her rich adornin’
And with all the pent-up love of my heart,
I bid you top o’ the mornin’.
John Locke
123.) St. Patrick’s Day is an enchanted time — a day to begin transforming winter’s dreams into summer’s magic.
A. Cook
124.) My the clouds in your life be only a background for a lovely sunset.
Unknown
125.) Tis better by far at the rainbows end to find not a pot of gold but the heart of a friend.
Unknown
126.) May your hearth be warm,
Your holidays grand,
And your heart held gently
In the good Lord’s hand.
Unknown
127.) Here’s to a fellow who smiles
When life runs along like a song.
And here’s to the lad who can smile
When everything goes dead wrong.
Unknown
128.) May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
Unknown
Irish Sayings for All Occasions
129.) May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.
130.) May peace and plenty bless your world with a joy that long endures and may all life’s passing seasons bring the best to you and yours.
131.) For each petal on the shamrock, this brings a wish your way: Good health, good luck, and happiness for today and every day.
132.) A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.
133.) May the frost never afflict our spuds,
May the leaves of your cabbage always be free from worms,
May the crows never pick your haystack,
And may your donkey always be in foal.
134.) Wishing you a rainbow for sunlight after showers,
miles and miles of Irish smiles for golden happy hours,
shamrocks at your doorway for luck and laughter too,
and a host of friends that never ends,
each day your whole life through.
135.) Put silk on a goat, and it’s still a goat.
136.) May God grant you always…
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel,
so nothing can harm you.
137.) When the first light of sun, Bless you.
When the long day is done, Bless you.
In your smiles and your tears, Bless you.
Through each day of your years, Bless you.
138.) Here’s to a long life and a merry one.
A quick death and an easy one.
A pretty girl and an honest one.
A cold beer-and another one!
139.) Tis better to buy a small bouquet And give to your friend this very day,
Than a bushel of roses white and red To lay on his coffin after he’s dead.
Friendship Irish Blessings
140.) May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow.
May the soft winds freshen your spirit.
May the sunshine brighten your heart.
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you.
And may God enfold you in the mantle of His love.
141.) May God be with you and bless you.
May you see your children’s children.
May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness. From this day forward.
142.) May there be a generation of children.
On the children of your children.
143.) Bless you and yours, As well as the cottage you live in.
May the roof overhead be well thatched, And those inside be well matched.
Blessing Summary
Faith in God, a celebration of friendship, and an embracement of wit and fun are all on display in these Irish blessings. Make it a point to share the joy of these thoughts with others. Jot down a few of your favorites, and share them with friends and family members.
By Michael O’Halloran
O’Halloran’s grandfather was born near Galway, Ireland. He immigrated to the U.S. in the early 1900s. He married an Irish-American girl from the Ryan clan and settled in Kansas City. Apparently, the couple’s floorboards in their house needed to be replaced prematurely from so much Irish dancing that took place at their parties. O’Halloran is the editor of Greeting Card Poet and compiled this list of Irish blessings.
More Reading
If you have any more Irish blessings or toasts you’d like to see us include, please contact us. Send your friends some good luck their way with these heartwarmers.
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Irish Blessing (You’re Here!)
