Irish Blessings

Shamrock

"Top of the morning to you
And the rest of the day to yourself!"
--Irish Greeting

Shamrock

Here are a few of the Irish Blessings or Toasts that I have come across. If you have any more, please send them to mcirish[at]geocities[dot]com (replace with the appropriate characters) . Thanks!

"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 among our share of this common meal."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"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."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"May the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends gathered below never fall out."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"May you have food and rainment, A soft pillow for your head, and may you be forty years in heaven before the devil knows you're dead!"
-Traditional Irish Toast

"The health of all Ireland and of County Mayo,and when that much is dead, may we still be on the go; From the County of Meath, the health of the hag, not of her but her drink is the reason we brag; Your health one and all, from one wall to the other, And, you outside there--speak up brother!"
-Traditional Irish Toast

"May the strength of three be in your journey."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"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."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship and never in want."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"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."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"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!"
-Traditional Irish Toast

"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."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"May there be a generation of children on the children of your children."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"Here's that we may always have a clean shirt, a clean conscience, and a guinea in our pocket."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"Here's a health to your enemies' enemies!"
-Traditional Irish Toast

"Here's health and prosperity, to you and all your posterity, and them that doesn't drink with sincerity, that they may be damned for all eternity!"
-Traditional Irish Toast

"May you live to be a hundred years, with one extra year to repent."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"May I see you grey and combing your children's hair."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"May the grass grow long on the road to hell for want of use."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"I have known many, liked not a few, loved only one, I drink to you." -Traditional Irish Toast

"May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"May you die in bed at ninety-five years, shot by a jealous husband(or wife)."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"May you have nicer legs than your own under the table before the new spuds are up."
-Traditional Irish Proverb

"May your doctor never earn a dollar out of you and may your heart never give out. May the ten toes of your feet steer you clear of all misfortune, and before you're much older, may you hear much better toasts than this."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"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."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"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 foward."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"May the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends gathered below never fall out."
-Traditional Irish Toast

"The health of the salmon to you: A long life, A full heart and a wet mouth!"
-Traditional Irish Toast

"May the frost never afflict your spuds. May the outside leaves of your cabbage always be free from worms. May the crow never pick your haystack, and may your donkey always be in foal."
-Traditional Irish Toast

May the sound of happy music, And the lilt of Irish laughter,
Fill your heart with gladness, That stays forever after.
-Irish Blessing (contributed by Wanda)

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.
-Irish Blessing (contributed by Wanda)

An Old Irish Prayer (contributed by Jane)
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.

An Irish toast (submitted by Marci & Sandra)
May you be in Heaven an hour before the Devil knows you are dead.

An Irish toast (contributed by Susie)
May those that 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 will know them by their limping.

An Irish Blessing (submitted by Beryl O.)
May your coffin be made of grand old oak and the acorn not yet be planted.

"You cannot be smart and Irish too..." (contributed by SG)
It's just too many good qualities to be bestowed upon one person!

Prayer for a Friend (contributed by John)
May God grant you always
A sunbeam to warm you
A moonbeam 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.

You can find original Irish blessings on Robin's Irish Page.

I also have the full text of The Prayer of St. Patrick

Shamrock

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