Last Updated on September 2, 2024
It is always nice to receive a blessing of some kind at a special ceremony. Often, we don’t even think of ding something like offering a blessing or saying a few words anymore. But back in time, blessings were commonly said at events like weddings for example, and in some circles are still used today. What this article looks to do is highlight a selection of Irish blessings that can be used at various occasions as a means to wish someone or two people happiness, luck, health, wealth, and/or a pleasant journey forward.
Irish Blessings
- May good luck be with you Wherever you go, and your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow.
- 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 you have enough happiness to keep you sweet, enough trials to keep you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to keep you happy, enough failure to keep you humble, enough success to keep you eager, enough friends to give you comfort, enough faith and courage in yourself to banish sadness, enough wealth to meet your needs and one thing more; Enough determination to make each day a more wonderful day than the one before.
- May you live as long as you want,
And never want as long as you live. May you live to be a hundred years, with one extra year to repent. 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. 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! - May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home, may good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam. May peace and plenty bless your world, with joy that long endures, may all life’s passing seasons, bring the best to you and yours
- May God give you, for every storm, a rainbow, for every tear, a smile, for every care, a promise and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sign a sweet song, and an answer for each prayer.
- There are good ships and there are wood ships, ships that sail the sea, but the best ships, are friendships, may they always be.
- May there always be work, for your hands to do, may your purse always hold a coin or two, may the sun always shine on your windowpane, may a rainbow be certain to follow each rain, may the hand of a friend always be near you, may God fill your heart with gladness, to cheer you.
- May the good Lord take a liking to you, but not too soon.
- May God bless your days, in so many ways, with good friends to love, and gifts from above, with sunshine and laughter, and joy ever after.
- May the Lord keep you in his hand, and never close his fist too tight.
- May the roof above us never fall in.
And may the friends gathered below it never fall out - Life is like a cup of tea,
It’s all in how you make it. - 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! - 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 - 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. - May your glass be ever full.
May the roof over your head be always strong.
And may you be in heaven half an hour
Before the devil knows you’re dead. - May the luck of the Irish
Lead to happiest heights
And the highway you travel
Be lined with green lights. - Like the goodness of the five loaves and two fishes,
Which God divided among the five thousand men,
May the blessing of the King who so divided
Be upon our share of this common meal. - 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.
- 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. - May the most you wish for
Be the least you get. - May the saddest day of your future be no worse
Than the happiest day of your past. - May the dreams you hold dearest,
Be those which come true,
The kindness you spread,
Keep returning to you - May all your troubles be little ones
and all your little ones be trouble free. - May luck be your friend in whatever you do
And may trouble always be a stranger to you. - An old Irish recipe for longevity:
Leave the table hungry.
Leave the bed sleepy.
Leave the bar thirsty. - May the joys of today
Be those of tomorrow.
The goblets of life
Hold no dregs of sorrow. - Here’s to our wives,
And here’s to our sweethearts,
May the two never meet! - 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.
- May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.
- When I count my blessings, I count you twice.
May God bless you. - 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 - May your troubles be as few and as far apart
As my Grandmother’s teeth. - May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch to your door
And happiness be your guest today and evermore. - 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. - To live above with the Saints we love,
Ah, that is the purest glory.
To live below with the Saints we know,
Ah, that is another story. - Here’s to you and yours
And to mine and ours.
And if mine and ours
Ever come across to you and yours,
I hope you and yours will do
As much for mine and ours
As mine and ours have done
For you and yours! - If I had a flower for every time I thought of you,
I could walk through my garden forever. - May your bed be made in heaven.
FAQs
What kind of prayer is an Irish blessing?
This traditional Irish blessing is an ancient Celtic prayer. Celtic literature is famed for using images of nature and everyday life to speak of how God interacts with his people.
What does the blessing ‘May the road rise up to meet you’ mean?
This is seen as the most popular Irish blessing and refers to the hope that your journey in life will not be bumpy and smooth. It is a popular blessing at weddings and at graduation ceremonies because it refers to starting fresh and the hope of a smooth journey ahead.
Where would you use an Irish blessing?
Typically, you would say an Irish blessing at an occasion as a means to mark it as something special and to wish someone well on a journey or an adventure.
Are there any main themes to Irish blessings?
Many blessings have emerged over the centuries that there is now an Irish blessings to cover almost every life event. The general theme of most Irish blessings is seeing the positive side of a bad situation or celebrating the best parts of happy one.
What is the best Irish prayer for a friend?
One of the best Irish prayers for a friend is ‘May God give you, for every storm, a rainbow, for every tear, a smile, for 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’. It is a very positive message to send someone’s way
