The Best Irish Blessings, Sayings, and Greetings

The best Irish blessings showcase the wit, charm, and cleverness of the Irish people. If you need to say a toast at dinner time or a few words with a friend before a drink, this page of Irish blessings is a good one to review.

Irish Blessings and Sayings

May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live.
May you have all the happiness and luck that life can hold, and at the end of your rainbows, may you find a pot of gold.
Get on your knees and thank the Lord you’re on your feet.
May the love and protection Saint Patrick can give be yours in abundance as long as you live.
May good luck be with you wherever you go, and your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow.
Here’s to the health of your enemies’ enemies.
May there be a generation of children on the children of your children.

Wedding Blessing

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 you have
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.

May this luck of the Irish be always, at hand. And good friends always near you – May each and every coming day bring some special joy to cheer you.

Gaelic Sayings

May you always have these blessings a soft breeze when summer comes, a warm fireside in winter, and always, the warm, soft smile of a friend.
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 you be poor in misfortune
Rich in blessings
Slow to make enemies
Quick to make friends
But rich or poor,
Quick or slow,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.
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.

Blessing Of The Three

The Sacred Three My fortress be
Encircling me,
Come and be round
My hearth, my home.
Fend Thou my kin
And every sleeping thing within
From scathe, from sin.
Thy care our peace
Through mid of night
To light’s release.
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 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!

Irish Expressions and Sayings

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 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 your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.
May your troubles be less
And your blessings be more.
And nothing but happiness
Come through your door.
May the luck of the Irish
Lead to happiest heights
And the highway you travel
Be lined with green lights.
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.
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.
May your heart be warm and happy
With the lilt of Irish laughter
Every day in every way
And forever and ever after.

Top of the ‘Morn

Health and a 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 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.

Tip: These Irish blessing can make awesome photo captions.

Best Irish Blessings and Greetings

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 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.
May you have food and raiment,
A soft pillow for your head,
May you be forty years in heaven
Before the devil knows you’re dead.
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.
A sunbeam to warm you, Good luck to charm you.
A sheltering angel, So nothing can harm you,
Laughter to cheer you, Faithful friends near you,
And whenever you pray, Heaven to hear you.

Official Ireland Tourism Board – Hear it from the natives

Blessings from Ireland

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.
May the leprechauns be near you
To spread luck along your way.
And may all the Irish angels,
Smile on you St. Patrick’s Day.
May the luck of the Irish possess you.
May the devil fly off with your worries.
And may God bless you forever and ever.
Have a good day always and in all ways,
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 those who love us, love us
And those who don’t love us,
May God turn their hearts
And if he can’t turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles
So we will know them by their limping!
May luck be our companion
May friends stand by our side
and may history remind us all
Of Ireland’s faith and pride.
May God bless us with happiness
May love and faith abide.

Irish Proverbs

One pair of good soles is better than two pairs of good uppers.
Marriages are all happy. It’s having breakfast together that causes all the trouble.
An old broom knows the dirty corners best.
A turkey never voted for an early Christmas.
A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse.
Men are like bagpipes – no sound comes from them unless they’re full.
What butter and whiskey will not cure, there’s no cure for.
Humor, to a man, is like a feather pillow. It is filled with what is easy to get and it gives great comfort.
The older the fiddle, the sweeter the tune.
He’d offer you an egg if you promised not to break the shell.
It’s no use carrying an umbrella if your shoes are leaking.
A narrow neck keeps the bottle from being emptied in one swig.
There’s no need to fear the wind if your haystacks are tied down.

By Mike O’Halloran

Mike is an author and founder of Greeting Card Poet. His family is from Galway, Ireland.