40 Funny Irish Blessings and Toasts

The Irish blessings refer to a specific toast that is given at a gathering or wedding. It is attributed to St. Patrick and is quite common among Irish immigrated communities. Irish blessings represent the rewards, health, and spiritual closeness with God. A collection of Irish blessings and toasts are compiled below.

A friend’s eye is a good mirror.

A trade not properly learned is an enemy.

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

Even a small thorn causes festering.

Good as drink is, it ends in thirst.

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

It is a long road that has no turning.

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

It takes time to build castles. Rome was not built in a day.

Put silk on a goat, and it’s still a goat.

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

There is no fireside like your own fireside.

Time is a great story teller.

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

When the liquor was gone the fun was gone.

A drink precedes a story.

As you slide down the banisters of life may the splinters never point the wrong way.

Beautiful young people are acts of nature, But beautiful old people are works of art.

Here’s that we may always have a clean shirt, a clean conscience, and a guinea in our pocket.

I have known many, liked not a few, loved only one, I drink to you.

In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship and never in want.

May I see you grey and combing your children’s hair.

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.

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

May the hinges of our friendship never grow rusty.

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 we friends gathered below never fall out.

May the sound of happy music, And the lilt of Irish laughter, fill your heart with gladness, that stays forever after.

May the strength of three be in your journey.

May there be a generation of children on the children of your children.

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

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 live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.

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

May you live to be a hundred years, with one extra year to repent.

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.

May your neighbors respect you, Trouble neglect you, The angels protect you, And heaven accept you.

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, may good luck pursue you each morning and night.

May your troubles be as few and as far apart as my Grandmothers teeth.

The Irish have been known to contribute many inventions to the world. From the first submarine in 1878 to the color photograph, famous Irishmen and women can be found throughout the world. Arthur Guinness is known for inventing the best selling alcoholic drink of all time in 1759 and signed a 9,000 year lease. The below infographic outlines interest inventions made by the Irish.