We Have the 140 Best Irish Blessings and Favorite Irish Sayings for St. Patrick's Day

Kelsey Pelzer

March 17, 2024 at 12:54 PM·16 min read

140 best Irish blessings for St. Patrick's Day

It's normal to hear various "season's greetings" around the holidays, and different types of "best wishes" and congratulatory statements when someone goes through big, positive life changes. But for the Irish, there are so many well-known Irish blessings that are spoken to others without needing a special occasion! So, in celebration of this St. Patrick's Day, we've rounded up the 140 best Irish blessings and Irish sayings that will spread joy (and maybe even some good fortune!) all around.

Between blessings, sayings, toasts and proverbs, the Irish clearly know a thing or two about catchy, humorous, encouraging and wise statements. And what's more—they are incredibly proud of being from Ireland! The talk of shamrocks, leprechauns, gold coins and the rolling hills of the Emerald Isle is enough to have you start daydreaming about being in this glorious land as well. While reading through our extensive list of Irish blessings, you're bound to feel extra excited to celebrate all things green, Celtic and magical ahead of St. Paddy's Day.

No need for four-leaf clovers here—you'll feel lucky simply from this list of the 140 best Irish blessings and favorite Irish sayings!

Related: The Best Quotes for St. Patrick's Day

140 Best Irish Blessings

1. May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields,
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

2. May the leprechauns dance over your bed and bring you sweet dreams.

3. May the roof above us never fall in.
And may the friends gathered below it never fall out.

4. If you're lucky enough to be Irish...
You're lucky enough!

5. 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!

6. 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.

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7. The grace of God on you.

8. Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.

9. May you escape the gallows, avoid distress,
And be as healthy as a trout.

10. If God sends you down a stony path,
May He give you strong shoes.

11. The best way to keep loyalty in a man’s heart is to keep money in his purse.

12. Time is a great storyteller.

13. Experience is the comb that life gives a bald man.

14. May your troubles be less and your blessings be more,
And nothing but happiness come through your door.

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15. Life is like a cup of tea,
It's all in how you make it.

16. 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.

17. When we drink, we get drunk.
When we get drunk, we fall asleep.
When we fall asleep, we commit no sin.
When we commit no sin, we go to heaven.
So, let's all get drunk, and go to heaven!

18. A friend's eye is a good mirror.

19. 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!

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20. Happiness being a dessert so sweet,
May life give you more than you can ever eat.

21. My seven blessings on you.

22. May you live long,
Die happy,
And rate a mansion in heaven.

23. There are only two kinds of people in the world: the Irish,
And those who wish they were.

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24. 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.

25. May you have the health to wear it.

26. May the luck of the Irish possess you.
May the devil fly off with your worries.
May God bless you forever and ever.

27. May the hinges of our friendship never grow rusty.

28. We cannot share this sorrow
If we haven't grieved a while.
Nor can we feel another's joy
Until we've learned to smile.

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29. As the big hound is, so will the pup be.

30. May the grace of God’s protection
And His great love abide
Within your home-within the hearts
Of all who dwell inside.

31. A drink precedes a story.

32. 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.

33. It’s no use boiling your cabbage twice.

34. 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.

35. More power to your elbow.

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36. Do not resent growing old.
Many are denied the privilege.

37. 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.

38. May their soul be on God's right hand.

Related: 50 Best St. Patrick's Day Wishes To Toast Your Friends and Family

39. May your blessings outnumber
The Shamrocks that grow.
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.

40. For this home and all therein be blessed with God’s love.

41. As you slide down the banister of life,
May the splinters never point the wrong way.

42. 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.

43. May you get all your wishes but one
So you always have something to strive for.

44. 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.

45. Here's to the health of your enemies' enemies.

46. For the test of the heart is trouble
And it always comes with years.
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth
Is the smile that shines through the tears.

47. I complained that I had no shoes
Until I met a man who had no feet.

48. When the roaring flames of your love have burned down to embers,
May you find that you’ve married your best friend.

49. Ireland, it's the one place on earth
That heaven has kissed
With melody, mirth,
And meadow and mist.

50. God is good, but never dance in a small boat.

51. 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.

52. Wishing you a pot o’ gold,
And all the joy your heart can hold.

53. 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.

54. May God put luck upon you.

55. May you always find three welcomes in life
In a garden during summer,
At a hearth during winter,
And in the hearts of friends throughout all your years.

56. May the luck of the Irish
Lead to happiest heights
And the highway you travel
Be lined with green lights.

57. When a twig grows hard it is difficult to twist it.
Every beginning is weak.

58. 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.

59. May the enemies of Ireland never meet a friend.

60. 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.

61. May the Lord keep you in His hand
And never close His fist too tight.

62. He who loses money, loses much;
He who loses a friend loses more;
And he who loses faith loses all.

63. You’ve got to do your own growing,
No matter how tall your grandfather was.

64. 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.

65. May the winds of fortune sail you,
May you sail a gentle sea.
May it always be the other guy
Who says this drink's on me.

66. May you live as long as you want,
And never want as long as you live.

67. May your heart be warm and happy
With the lilt of Irish laughter
Every day in every way
And forever and ever after.

68. May the blessings of each day
Be the blessings you need most.

69. May the saddest day of your future be no worse
Than the happiest day of your past.

70. Good on you.

71. 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.

72. God between us and all harm.

73. There are good ships and there are wood ships,
the ships that sail the sea.
But the best ships are friendships,
and may they always be.

74. May the grass grow long on the road to hell for want of use.

75. May brooks and trees and singing hills
Join in the chorus, too.
And every gentle wind that blows
Send happiness to you.

76. The reason the Irish are always fighting each other
Is they have no other worthy opponents.

77. 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.

78. Good health to you.

79. May the leprechauns be near you,
To spread luck along your way.
And may all the Irish angels,
Smile upon you St. Patrick's Day.

80. May the most you wish for
Be the least you get.

81. If you do not sow in the spring,
You will not reap in the autumn.

82. 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.

83. Every man is sociable until a cow invades his garden.

84. May the blessings of light be upon you,
Light without and light within.
And in all your comings and goings,
May you ever have a kindly greeting
From them you meet along the road.

85. May the Good Lord take a liking to you,
But not too soon!

86. May the dreams you hold dearest,
Be those which come true,
The kindness you spread,
Keep returning to you.

87. An Irish method for tackling problems:
There comes a time when you must take the bull
By the tail and face the situation squarely.

88. May all your troubles be little ones
and all your little ones be trouble free.

89. May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks,
May your heart be as light as a song,
May each day bring you bright, happy hours,
That stay with you all the year long.

90. Bless your little Irish heart and every other Irish part.

91. May God grant you always...
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you.

92. The man with the boots does not mind where he places his foot.

93. My Friends are the best friends
Loyal, willing and able.
Now let's get to drinking!
All glasses off the table!

94. Here's that we may always have
A clean shirt
A clean conscience
And a punt in our pocket.

95. May luck be your friend in whatever you do
And may trouble always be a stranger to you.

96. 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.

97. 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 folk.

98. An old Irish recipe for longevity:
Leave the table hungry.
Leave the bed sleepy.
Leave the bar thirsty.

99. 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!

100. May your bed be made in heaven.

101. 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.

102. It is not a secret if it is known by three people.

103. 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.

104. May the joys of today
Be those of tomorrow.
The goblets of life
Hold no dregs of sorrow.

105. May the strength of three be in your journey.

106. Always remember to forget
The troubles that passed away.
But never forget to remember
The blessings that come each day.

107. May the mist of Irish magic shorten every road
And may your friends remember the favors you are owed.

108. That the ten toes of your feet
Might always steer you clear of misfortune.

109. Here's to our wives,
And here's to our sweethearts,
May the two never meet!

110. May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.

111. 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.

112. If I had a flower for every time I thought of you,
I could walk through my garden forever.

113. 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.

114. There is no fireside like your own fireside.

115. St. Patrick was a gentleman
Who through strategy and stealth
Drove all the snakes from Ireland.
Here's toasting to his health.
But not too many toastings
Lest you lose yourself and then
Forget the good St. Patrick
And see all those snakes again.

116. When I count my blessings, I count you twice.
May God bless you.

117. May the embers from the open hearth warm your hands,
May the sun's rays from the Irish sky warm your face,
May the children's bright smiles warm your heart,
May the everlasting love I give you warm your soul.

118. May God give 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.

119. 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!

120. May there be a generation of children
On the children of your children.

121. Put silk on a goat, and it's still a goat.

122. For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.

123. Health and long life to you.

124. 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.

125. Let your heart be glad for the harvest done
And may your winter be warm the whole season long.

126. 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.

127. 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.

128. May your troubles be as few and as far apart
As my Grandmother’s teeth.

129. A trade not properly learned is an enemy.

130. May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch to your door
And happiness be your guest today and evermore.

Favorite Irish Sayings

131. Go way outta that! (Or, no way—unbelievable!)

132. Will you have a mineral? (Or, will you have a drink?)

133. I'm knackered. (Or, I'm exhausted.)

134. I'm going to the jacks. (Or, I'm going to the bathroom.)

135. Your oul fella and your oul wan. (Or, your father and your mother.)

136. A whale of a time! (Or, it was a great time!)

137. Away with the fairies. (Or, you're delusional.)

138. Story horse? (Or, what's up?)

139. Quit acting the maggot. (Or, stop being up to no good.)

140. Happy out. (Or, currently content).

Ready to be a blessing to others this St. Patrick's Day? Here are 50 St. Patrick's Day recipes that will bring the luck of the Irish to your dinner table!

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