“If you’re enough lucky to be Irish, you’re lucky enough!”

“St. Patrick’s Day is an enchanted time – a day to begin transforming winter’s dreams into summer’s magic.”  ~Adrienne Cook

“May those who love us, love us. And those who 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.” ~Irish Blessing

Contributed by my husband. 🙂

“May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.”
~Irish Blessing

“Gin ye find a heart that’s weary.

And that needs a brither’s hand,

Dinna thou turn from it, dearie,

Thou shouldst help thy fellow man.

Thou mayest have a hidden heartache,

Sacred from all mortal kin,

And because of thine own grief’s sake,

Thou maun feel for ither men.”

“For ’tis green, green, green, where the ruined towers are gray,
And it’s green, green, green, all the happy night and day;
Green of leaf and green of sod, green of ivy on the wall,
And the blessed Irish shamrock with the fairest green of all.”
~Mary Elizabeth Blake
“When we feel restless, impatient and discouraged because we have lost something prized or loved, let us remember the first and last verses of Mrs. Wheeler’s beautiful poem, ‘Recompense:’

“Straightway through my heart this fact to-day

By truth’s own hand is driven;

God never takes one thing away,

But something else is given.

It is the law, complete, sublime;

And now with faith unshaken,

In patience I but bide my time

When any joy is taken.”

An Old Irish Blessing~and my favorite

“May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be 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 palm of His hand.”

*Royalty free pics of Ireland

Irish Blessings & Angels

“May you always walk in sunshine.
May you never want for more.
May Irish angels rest their wings right beside your door.”

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

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!

“May God grant you many years to live,
For sure he must be knowing.
The earth has angels all too few.
And heaven is overflowing.”

“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.”

This next one doesn’t mention angels but I really liked it.

“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.”

Irish Blessings

I’ve been collecting Irish Blessings.  If you have a favorite, please feel free to share it.  They run the gamut from touching and moving to funny.  Speaking of which, I love this one:
“May you reach Heaven a moment before the devil knows you are dead.” ~

“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 the frost never afflict your spuds. May the leaves of your cabbage always be free from worms. May the crows never pick your haystack. If you inherit a donkey, may she be in foal.”~

“May you live as long as you want, And never want as long as you live.”~

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

“May there be a generation of children On the children of your children.” ~

“May you live to be a hundred years, With one extra year to repent!” ~

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

Probably the best known and beloved Irish blessing is this one:

“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.”~

*This last pic is of the Shenandoah Valley.