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Here are some wonderful Irish sayings for all occasions. If you’re looking for an Irish message for your St. Patrick’s Day card, you’ve come to the right place.
For all of your Irish and “Irish-in-Spirit” friends, it’s fun to send them a St. Patrick’s Day card or text. Wondering what to write on the card, in a text, or on Facebook? For the message, consider including an Irish blessing or a cleverly worded greeting to make their day. Choose from our collection below.
Brilliant Irish Greetings
The lilt of the Irish voice might make these sayings sound more full of wit and wisdom. But, you’ll be a wee bit smarter even if you just read them to yourself — just try not to move your lips. Thanks a million!
The 23 Best Irish Sayings
It is often that a person’s mouth broke his nose.
Even a small thorn causes festering.
It’s easy to halve the potato where there’s love.
Where the tongue slips, it speaks the truth.
Every patient is a doctor after his cure.
A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures.
A trout in the pot is better than a salmon in the sea.
A drink precedes a story.
What fills the eye fills the heart.
There is no luck except where there is discipline.
A little kinship is better than a lot of charity.
The man with the boots does not mind where he places his foot.
A hound’s food is in its legs.
Everyone is wise till he speaks.
In every land, hardness is in the north of it, softness in the south, industry in the east, and fire and inspiration in the west.
A family of Irish birth will argue and fight, but let a shout come from without and see them all unite.
You’ll never plow a field by turning it over in your mind.
A friend’s eye is a good mirror.
You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.
The heaviest ear of grain bends its head the lowest.
May the roof above you never fall in and those gathered beneath it never fall out.
Time is a great storyteller.
Lose an hour in the morning, and you’ll be looking for it all day.
Irish Sayings on Money
If you buy what you don’t need, you might have to sell what you do.
Forgetting a debt doesn’t mean it’s paid.
It is better to spend money like there’s no tomorrow than to spend tonight like there’s no money.
A penny gets another penny.
If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at who He gives it to!
May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light.
May good luck pursue you each morning and night.
Short Irish Sayings
The beauty of the Emerald Isle never looked finer than in you.
Happiness, peace, and plenty!
When Irish eyes are smiling, watch out!
Irish you would kiss me!
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you fight with your neighbor. It makes you shoot at your landlord — and it makes you miss him.
No man ever wore a scarf as warm as his daughter’s arm around his neck.
Top o’ the mornin’!
Oh, Danny Boy! (song reference)
May St. Patrick guard you all the days of your life.
Ireland forever!
Good Irish Sayings
Kiss Me, I’m Irish!
For the love of Ireland!
I’m looking over a four-leaf clover
Erin Go Braugh!
Let get green and let’s get lucky! Happy St Pat’s Day!
Let’s make St Pat proud! Everybody to the pub!
If the cat sits long enough at the hole, she will catch the mouse.
See St. Patrick’s Day History.
Blessings and Proverbs
Some of the best work excuses happen because of St. Pat’s Day. Imagine all of the leprechaun abduction tales that employers must hear! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Stop reading and get drinking. Happy St Pat’s Day!
To the only day that it’s easy to be green. HAPPY ST PATRICK’S DAY!
I wanted to help you think Green today. Happy St. Patrick’s Day.
We love green beer, and we love to get lucky! HAPPY ST PAT’S DAY!!
Wishing you a very green and a very lucky St Patrick’s Day! Cheers to that!
Wishing you the happiness of a leprechaun’s gold, and a day of songs of love that will never grow old! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Wishing you the many wonderful things that an Irish blessing will bring. Happiness, joy, love, and laughter, may your day be content and may you smile happily ever after! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
You have a special place this St. Pat’s Day… a special spot just for you in my wee heart!
Wishing you all the luck of the Irish! Happy St Patrick’s Day!
Wishing you the greenest and luckiest St Pat’s Day ever!
You’re in my mind and on my heart; that’s what I want to say. It’s all about the gold and rainbows…it’s St. Patrick’s Day! I hope you have a great day!
Best Irish Blessings
May God grant you many years to live,
For sure He must be knowing.
The earth has angels all too few.
And heaven is overflowing.
May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.
Dance as if no one were watching,
Sing as if no one were listening,
And live every day as if it were your last.
Blessing after the meal
Praise to the King of Plenty,
Praise every time to God,
A hundred praises and thanks to Jesus Christ,
For what we have eaten and shall eat.
A parent’s blessing on a son or daughter leaving home
The great God between your two shoulder blades
To protect you in your going and returning,
The Son of the Virgin Mary be close to your heart,
And the perfect Holy Spirit be keeping an eye on you.
A blessing on everyone
As plentiful as the grass that grows
Or the sand on the shore,
Or the dew on the lea,
So the blessings of the King of Grace
On every soul that was, that is, or will be.
May the blessings of light be upon you,
Light without and light within.
And in all your comings and goings.
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Prayers
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.
May you have a 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 God grant you always…
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you.
May you live long,
Die happy,
And rate a mansion in heaven.
Drink is the curse of the land.
It makes you fight with your neighbor.
It makes you shoot at your landlord–
and it makes you miss him!
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.
May there be a generation of children
On the children of your children.
Health and long life to you.
Land without rent to you.
A child every year to you,
And if you can’t go to heaven,
May you at least die in Ireland.
May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.
Prayers from Ireland
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.
May joy and peace surround you,
Contentment latch your door,
And happiness be with you now
And bless you evermore.
May St. Patrick guard you wherever you go,
and guide you in whatever you do–
and may his loving protection be a blessing to you always.
Gaelic Sayings
May your troubles be less
And your blessings be more.
And nothing but happiness
Come through your door.
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.
May the luck of the Irish
Lead to happiest heights
And the highway you travel
Be lined with green lights.
Traditional Irish Sayings
May brooks and trees and singing hills
Join in the chorus, too.
And every gentle wind that blows
Send happiness to you.
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings,
Slow to make enemies,
And quick to make friends.
But rich or poor,
Quick or slow,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.
Irish Messages
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.
May the face of every good news
And the back of every bad news
Be toward us.
May you have
No frost on your spuds,
No worms on your cabbage.
May your goat give plenty of milk.
And if you inherit a donkey,
May she be in foal.
May you get all your wishes but one
so you always have something to strive for!
Gaelic Blessings
May your heart be warm and happy
With the lilt of Irish laughter
Every day in every way
And forever and ever after.
May good luck be your friend
In whatever you do.
And may trouble be always
A stranger to you.
May God grant you many years to live,
For sure He must be knowing.
The earth has angels all too few,
And heaven is overflowing.
May the good saints protect you
And bless you today
And may troubles ignore you
Each step of the way
May you have:
Walls for the wind
And a roof for the rain,
And drinks bedside the fire
Laughter to cheer you
And those you love near you,
And all that your heart may desire.
May the blessings of light be upon you,
Light without and light within.
And in all your comings and goings.
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.
Expressions
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.
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!
For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.
May God grant you always,
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you.
Blessings from Ireland
For each petal on the shamrock this brings a wish your way – good health, good luck, and happiness for today and every day.
God be on your road every way you go.
God’s fresh blessings be about you.
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.
Grant me a sense of humor, Lord,
the saving grace to see a joke,
To win some happiness from life,
And pass it on to other folks.
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.
Poems
May you 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!
Bless your little Irish heart and every other Irish part.
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.
May God grant you always
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you.
May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light.
May good luck pursue you each morning and night.
For each petal on the shamrock.
This brings a wish your way
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.
Proverbs
As the big hound is, so will the pup be.
A hen is heavy when carried far.
May those who love us, love us.
For those who don’t love us, May God turn their hearts.
And if God can’t turn their hearts, May he turn their ankles so we’ll know them by their limping!
Laughter is brightest where food is best.
It is often that a person’s mouth broke his nose.
Short Irish Proverbs
He who gets a name for early rising can stay in bed until midday.
A lock is better than suspicion.
Broken Irish is better than clever English.
It is a long road that has no turning.
Have a mouth of ivy and a heart of holly.
He’d offer you an egg if you promised not to break the shell.
Distant hills look green.
Idioms
The older the fiddle, the sweeter the tune.
There are two tellings to every story.
The well-fed do not understand the lean.
It’s no use carrying an umbrella if your shoes are leaking.
It is the quiet pigs that eat the meal.
Let your bargain suit your purpose.
Praise the ripe field, not the green corn.
The Formula for Irish Sayings
It’s no secret if brilliant Irish sayings don’t come readily to mind, please use this formula.
Take positive aspects like:
- God
- Green
- Beer
- Whiskey
- Gold
- Home
- Angels
- Girlfriend
- Ireland Irish
- Love
- Blessings
- Lucky
- Friendship
Incorporate at least three or four of these words into your message, and you’ll likely be pretty close to a very positive message.
If you’re looking for a more devilish approach, incorporate words and phrases like:
- The devil
- The English
- Out of money
- Out of drink
- Wife
- Old age
- Bad luck
Two or three of these words should be enough for some negative Irish sayings. Caution: be careful of your audience. Some Irish sayings work better for some people – there’s your fair warning.
By Mike O’Halloran
Mike is an author and publisher of Greeting Card Poet. His family is from Galway, Ireland.
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