Irish Blessings

IRB1

St. Patrick
May the strength of God pilot us,
may the wisdom of God instruct us,
may the hand of God protect us,
may the word of God direct us.
Be always ours this day and for evermore.

IRB2

Traditional Irish Blessing and Toast
May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be ever at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the rain fall softly on your fields
And until we meet again, May God hold
you in the hollow of his hand

IRB3

Irish Blessings For Death:
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 on the road.

IRB4

An Old Irish Blessing
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!

IRB5

An Olde Irish Wish

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.

IRB6

A Wish for a Friend
Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers—
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours—
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through!

IRB7

In Time of Sorrow...
May you see God’s light on the path ahead
When the road you walk is dark.
May you always hear,
Even in your hour of sorrow,
The gentle singing of the lark.
When times are hard may hardness
Never turn your heart to stone,
May you always remember
when the shadows fall—
You do not walk alone.

IRB8

Said in the morning when rising...
Christ be with me,
be after me,
be before me,
and be at my right and left hand.
May everything I do be for Christ.

IRB9

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.

IRB10

May God be with you and bless you,
May you see your children’s children,
May you be poor in misfortune,
rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but
happiness from this day forward.

IRB11

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 on the road.

IRB12

Here’s to beefsteak when you’re hungry,
Whiskey when you’re dry,
All the women you’ll ever want,
And heaven when you die.

IRB13

“Lord of the Dance”

I danced in the morning
when the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon
and the stars and the sun,
And I came down from heaven
and I danced on the earth,
At Bethlehem I had my birth.

(Refrain:)Dance then, wherever you may be,
I am the Lord of the Dance said he,
And I’ll lead you all wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the Dance said he.
I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black.
It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back.
They buried my body and they thought I’d gone,
But I am the dance and I still go on.
(Refrain:)They cut me down and I leap up high.
I am the life that’ll never die.
I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me.
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.

IRB14

An Old Celtic Blessing
May the blessing of light be on you—
light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you
and warm your heart
till it glows like a great peat fire.

IRB15

From Saint Patrick’s Breastplate
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.