IRISH BLESSINGS
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. – The Story Behind this Blessing at In an Irish Home
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May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. And rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of His hand.
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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.
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May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light. May good luck pursue you each morning and night.
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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.
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May joy and peace surround you, contentment latch your door. And happiness be with you now and bless you evermore.
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May your troubles be less and your blessing be more. And, nothing but happiness, come through your door.
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Always remember to forget the troubles that pass away. But never forget to remember the blessings that come each day.
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May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.
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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
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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.
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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.
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As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way.
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If you’re lucky enough to be Irish…You’re lucky enough!
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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.
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May you live long, die happy, and rate a mansion in heaven.
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May the Lord keep you in His hand and never close His fist too tight.
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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 year long.
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For each petal on the shamrock, this brings a wish your way. Good health, good luck, and happiness, for today and every day.
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Now sweetly lies old Ireland, emerald green beyond the foam. Awakening sweet memories, calling the heart back home.
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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.
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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.
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May you have food and raiment, a soft pillow for your head. May you be forty years in heaven fefore the devil knows you’re dead.
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May there be a generation of children in the children of your children.
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May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.
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May your neighbors respect you, trouble neglect you. The angels protect you and heaven accept you.
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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.
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May you live all the days of your life. ~ Jonathan Swift
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Wherever you go and whatever you do, may the luck of the Irish be there with you.
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Ample food and sturdy drink, a clean pillow for your head. And may you be forty years in heaven before the devil knows you’re dead!
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May the good saints protect you, and bless you today. And may troubles ignore you, each step of the way.
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There are only two kinds of people in the world: the Irish and those who wish they were.
IRISH WEDDING BLESSINGS
May God be with you and bless you. May you see your children’s children. May you be poor in misfortunes and rich in blessings. And, may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.
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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!
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May you always walk in sunshine. May you never want for more. May Irish angels rest their wings right beside your door.
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May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past.
IRISH GRACE BEFORE MEALS
Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord. Amen. – The Story Behind this Grace at In an Irish Home
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Bless us O God, as we sit together. Bless the food we eat today. Bless the hands that made the food. Bless us O God, Amen. – The Story Behind this Grace at In an Irish Home
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IRISH BEDTIME PRAYERS FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN
God our Father we come to say thank you for your love today. Thank you for our family and all the friends you give to me. Guide me in the dark of night and in the morning send your light. Amen – This is the prayer our children learned when they were just junior infants.
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O Angel of God, my Guardian Dear, To who God’s Love commits me here, Ever this night be at my side, To light and guard, To rule and guide. Amen.- This prayer is said by my friend Sheelagh and her daughter every night before bedtime. Sheelagh said it every night when she was a girl with her dad. You can read more about Sheelagh’s story here.
IRISH PRAYERS AND PRAYERS COMMON TO IRELAND
From the Breastplate of St. Patrick – Christ be with me. Christ before me. Christ behind me. Christ in me. Christ beneath me. Christ above me. Christ on my right. Christ on my left. Christ where I lie. Christ where I sit. Christ where I arise. Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me. Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me. Christ in every eye that sees me. Christ in every ear that hears me. Salvation is of the Lord.
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The Salve Regina (also known as Hail Holy Queen) – Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
V: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God
R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
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The Fatima Prayer – Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. Amen.
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How to Pray the Rosary – A blog post and all the prayers for saying the Rosary may be found at this link on In an Irish Home.
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From St. Columcille {also known as St. Columba of Iona} – My dearest Lord, Be Thou a bright flame before me, Be Thou a guiding star above me, Be Thou a smooth path beneath me, Be Thou a kindly shepherd behind me, Today and evermore.
IRISH PROVERBS & SAYINGS
A tune is more lasting than the song of birds. And, a word is more lasting than the wealth of the world.
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Women are made to be loved, not understood. ~ Oscar Wilde
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Always remember to forget the things that made you sad, but never forget to remember the things that made you glad. Always remember to forget the friends that proved untrue, but don’t forget to remember those that have stuck by you.
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Get on your knees and thank God you’re still on your feet.
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The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper. ~ W.B. Yeats
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Who, being loved, is poor? ~ Oscar Wilde
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A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.
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Sleep is God’s greatest gift. ~ Maureen McGuire
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Mistakes are the portals of discovery. ~ James Joyce
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Better half a loaf than no loaf at all.
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I chose my wife, as she did her wedding gown, for qualities that would wear well. ~ Oliver Goldsmith
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Laughter is brightest where food is best.
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We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. ~ Oscar Wilde
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Often has the likely failed and the unlikely succeeded.
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All that a husband or wife really wants is to be pitied a little, praised a little, and appreciated a little. ~ Oliver Goldsmith
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If you can’ get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you’d best take it out and teach it to dance. ~ George Bernard Shaw
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Life is a journey that must be traveled not matter how bad the roads and accommodations. ~ Oliver Goldsmith
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Buried embers may turn to flames.
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If you are not too long, I will wait here for you all my life. ~ Oscar Wilde
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Every dog is bod as his own house door.
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Your battles inspired me – not the obvious material battles but those that were fought and won behind your forehead. ~ James Joyce
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The whole world cannot make a race horse out of a donkey.
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Always forgive your enemies – nothing annoys them so much. ~ Oscar Wilde
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I love everything that’s old, – old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wine. ~ Oliver Goldsmith
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Encourage youth and it will prosper.
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The best way to make your audience laugh is to start laughing yourself. ~ Oliver Goldsmith
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A ragged colt often makes a fine horse.
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Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is far the best ending for one. ~ Oscar Wilde
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You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips. ~ Oliver Goldsmith
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The far off hills are often the greenest.
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Three things that are never seen are a blade’s edge, the wind, and love.
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The truth is rarely pure and never simple. ~ Oscar Wilde
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A woman, a pig, and a mule are the most difficult things to teach.
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The company of fools may first make us smile, but in the end we always feel melancholy. ~ Oliver Goldsmith
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There are three kinds of women: stubborn as a pig, unruly as a hen, and gentle as a lamb.
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There are three kinds of men: the worker, the hunter, and the boaster.
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To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance. ~ Oscar Wilde
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There is not a way into the woods for which there is also not a way out of it.
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The three most incomprehensible things in the world are: the mind of a woman, the labor of bees, and the ebb and flow of the tide.
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No man is rich enough to buy back his past. ~ Oscar Wilde
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There are three kinds of men who can’t understand women: young men, old men, and middle-aged men.
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When I die Dublin will be written in my heart. ~ James Joyce
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There is no sincerer love than the love of food. ~ George Bernard Shaw
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If it was raining soup, the Irish would go out with forks. ~ Brendan Behan
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After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody…even one’s own relatives. ~ Oscar Wilde
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Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat. ~ Alex Levine
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Ample food and sturdy drink, a clean pillow for your head. And may you be forty years in heaven before the devil knows you’re dead!
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An old Irish recipe for longevity: leave the table hungry; leave the bed sleepy, and leave the bar thirsty.
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Life is like a cup of tea, it’s all in how you make it!
IRISH SPELLS & DIVINATIONS
If you wish to have a man fall in love with you, offer him a drink. If he accepts, say three times to yourself: “Thee for me, me for thee, and for none else.”
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The plainest girl will be beautiful if she rises early on May Day and bathes her face in the morning dew of sunrise.
In an Irish Home 
Hello Kim,
Love your blog, and especially the Irish blessings. thank you for sharing.
You were kind enough to show my friend Dennis and me your lovely project.
We and our wives will be there again over the 4th, (July 2-6), and we all hope to see you and your progress.
Keep up the good work with the blog, and
All the very best,
Mark
What is the traditional blessing when a guest enters an Irish home? The guest says something and the home owner replies. or vice versa Please let me know.
Thanks!
Hi Annette. I am not familiar with an Irish traditional blessing for when a guest comes to visit. But I did a little research and found the following which may be of interest to you: “The wedding party gathers around the bride and groom. All fill their glasses with mead and the newly wedded couple recites an Irish toast: “Friends and relatives, so fond and dear, ’tis our greatest pleasure to have you here. When many years this day has passed, fondest memories will always last. So we drink a cup of Irish mead and ask God’s blessing in your hour of need.” The guests respond: “On this special day, our wish to you, the goodness of the old, the best of the new. God bless you both who drink this mead, may it always fill your every need.”” It’s supposed to be an Irish wedding blessing, though I’ve never been to a wedding in Ireland where this was used, but I suppose it could be modified for guests entering a home. Thanks for stopping by In an Irish Home.
It might be that the host greets with “God be wth you” and the guests with “and God and the Blessed Mary be with you”. The Irish words sound a lot better but I don’t know how to spell them. This is just a guess but I do know that this is a greeting that is used in Irish speaking enclaves in Ireland.
I just joined this blog and I ❤️ it. I am active in the Ladies Ancient Order of Hiberians and will pass this blog on to them. It’s lovely and I can’t wait try the mushroom soup. Thanks so much.
Thank you Suzee for sharing your thoughts on the blessing. I have never heard it expressed before but I am going to ask my friends to see if anyone is familiar with it. Thank you too for joining me at In an Irish Home. I’m happy you’ll be following along. Please do share it with those you think will enjoy it too. All the best and God bless! Kim
“Always remember to forget the troubles that pass away. But never forget to remember the blessings that come each day.” – I didn’t know this Irish blessing. It’s really nice!
[…] Blessings/Prayers […]
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!