Irish Toasts

 

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 the face of every good news

And the back of every bad news

Be towards us.

 

--

 

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!

 

--

 

May the road rise to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

The sun shine warm upon your face

The rain fall soft upon your fields

And until we meet again

May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

 

--

 

May the roof above us never fall in.

And may we friends gathered below

Never fall out.

 

--

 

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 the strength of three

be in your journey.

 

--

 

Here’s to you and yours

and to mine and ours,

And if mine and ours ever come

across 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!

 

--

 

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

 

--

 

Here’s a health

to your enemies’ enemies!

 

--

 

May you live to be

a hundred years,

With one year to repent

 

--

 

May I see you grey

And combing your children’s hair.

 

--

 

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.

 

--

 

May the grass grow long

On the road to hell

For want of use.

 

--

 

May the Lord keep you

in His hand

And never close His fist too tight

on you.