It took me forever to type this all up....
I think this is the largest list I've ever posted and it's still not all that I have in my stash~ I just got tired of typing for today - LOL!!
I love to collect quotes and sayings of all kinds but there is just something about Irish sayings that tickle me.
Anyway, here you go....
A bird with one wing can't fly. (to encourage someone to take a second drink)
A boy may kiss his girl goodbye,
The sun may kiss the butterfly,
The wine may kiss the crystal glass,
And you, my friend, may kiss my ass.
A drink precedes a story.
A family of Irish birth will argue and fight,
But let a shout come from without and see them all unite.
A friend's eye is a good mirror.
A hen is heavy when carried far.
A hound's food is in its legs.
A lock is better than suspicion.
A man is a man when his woman is a woman.
A man takes a drink; the drink takes a drink; the drink takes the man.
A man who is not afraid of the sea will soon be drowned. -Synge
A man's best friend is his mother until he meets his wife.
A man's fame lasts longer than his life.
A narrow neck keeps the bottle from being emptied in one swig.
A nation's greatest enemy is the small minds of its small people.
A sea wind changes less often than the mind of a weak man.
A silent mouth is melodious.
A trade not properly learned is an enemy.
Age is honorable and youth is noble.
All good things must come to an end...(i.e. No party lasts forever!)
Always remember that hindsight is the best insight to foresight.
Always remember to forget
The friends that proved untrue.
But never forget to remember
Those that have stuck by you.
Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.
Always remember to forgetThe troubles that passed away.But never forget to rememberThe blessings that come each day.
An Irish youth proves his manhood by getting stuck in a pint, in a woman, and in a fish-in that order
An old Irish recipe for longevity:
Leave the table hungry.
Leave the bed sleepy.
Leave the table thirsty.
An old man's child is hard to rear
As the big hound is, so will the pup be.
As you slide down the banister of life,
May the splinters never point the wrong way.
'Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit!'
A prosperous New Year!
Be neither intimate nor distant with the clergy.
Beautiful young people are acts of nature,
But beautiful old people are works of art.
Before you call for one for the road be sure you know the road.
Beannachtam na Feile Padraig
"Happy St. Patrick's Day!"
Better fifty enemies outside the house than one inside it.
Bless you and yours
As well as the cottage you live in.
May the roof overhead be well thatched
And those inside be well matched.
Blood is thicker than water-and easier seen.
Both your friend and your enemy think you will never die.
Bottoms up or bottoms down,
Either way no one will frown.
Bricks and mortar make a house but the laughter of children makes a home.
Céad Míle Fáilte!
"One hundred thousand welcomes!"
Croi follain agus gob fliuch.
"A healthy heart and a wet mouth!"
Daylight comes through the drunkard's roof the fastest.
Do not resent growing old.
Many are denied the privilege.
Don't bless with the tip of your tongue if there's bile at the butt.
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you fight with your neighbor. It makes you shoot at your landlord-and it makes you miss him.
Even a small thorn causes festering.
Every man is sociable until a cow invades his garden.
Experience is the comb that life gives a bald man.
Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.
Fad saol agat.
"Long life to you."
'Faol saol agat, gob fliuch, agus bás in Éirinn.'
Long life to you, a wet mouth, and death in Ireland.
Five frogs are sitting on a log. Four decide to jump off. How many are left? Answer: five.
Why? Because there's a difference between deciding & doing.
For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way—
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.
For the test of the heart is trouble
And it always comes with years.
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth
Is the smile that shines through the tears.
Fortune favors the brave.
From the County of Meath,
the health of the hag.
Not of her but her drink
is the reason we brag.
Go maire sibh bhur saol nua.
"May you enjoy your new life."
‘Go mbeire muid beo ar an am seo arís.'
May we be alive at this time next year.
Go n-eiri an t-adh leat.
"Good luck."
Good as drink is, it ends in thirst.
Good health, good life, good beer!
Grant me a sense of humor, Lord,
The saving grace to see a joke,
To win some happiness from life,
And pass it on to other folk.
"Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet,
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams..." William Butler Yeats
He that is of the opinion that money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.
He who comes with a story to you brings two away from you.
He who gets a name for early rising can stay in bed until midday.
He who loses money, loses much;
He who loses a friend, loses more;
He who loses faith, loses all.
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.
He'd step over ten naked women to get at a pint.
Here's health to your enemies' enemies!
Here’s that we may always have
A clean shirt
A clean conscience
And a punt in our pocket.
Here’s to a fellow who smiles
When life runs along like a song.
And here’s to the lad who can smile
When everything goes dead wrong.
Here's to a long life and a merry one.
A quick death and an easy one.
A pretty girl and an honest one.
A cold pint--
and another one!
Here's to a temperance supper,
With water in glasses tall,
And coffee and tea to end with--
And me not there at all!
Here's to being single...
Drinking doubles...
And seeing triple!
Here's to health, peace and prosperity.
May the flower of love never be nipped by the frost of disappointment,
nor shadow of grief fall among your family and friends.
Here's to Hell!
May the stay there be as fun as the way there!
Here's to it and for it and do it again.
For those that get to it
And refuse to do it,
May never get to it
To do it again.
Here's to our wives,
and here's to our sweethearts,
may the two never meet!
Here's to the land of the shamrock so green,
Here's to each lad and his darlin colleen,
Here's to the ones we love dearest and most.
May God bless old Ireland, that's this Irishman's toast!
Here's to women's kisses,
and to whiskey, amber clear;
Not as sweet as a woman's kiss,
but a darn sight more sincere!
Here's to you and here's to me.
May we never disagree.
But should we start to fight and 'cuss,
Here's to me.
Here’s to you and yours,
And to mine and ours,
And if mine and ours ever come
Across 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!
Here's to you, as good as you are.
Here's to me as bad as I am.
As good as you are and as bad as I am,
I'm as good as you are, as bad as I am.
I complained that I had no shoes
Until I met a man who had no feet.
I drink to your health when I'm with you,
I drink to your health when I'm alone,
I drink to your health so often,
I'm starting to worry about my own!
I have known many,
and liked not a few,
but loved only one
and this toast is to you.
I-rish you a very nice place to live,
I-rish God's greatest gifts he'll give.
I-rish you health, and wealth, and more--
I-rish your smilin' face were at my door!
If wars were fought with words Ireland would be ruling the world.
If you do not sow in the spring you will not reap in the autumn.
If you want to be criticized, marry.
If you’re enough lucky to be Irish...
You’re lucky enough!
If you're the only one that knows you're afraid, you're brave.
In the long run, men hit only what they aim at.
Therefore, they had better aim at something high.
In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship but never in want.
Instinct is stronger than upbringing.
Ireland, it’s the one place on earth
That heaven has kissed
With melody, mirth,
And meadow and mist.
Ireland, sir, for good or evil,
No other place under Heaven.
And no man can touch its sod
Or breathe its air without becoming
Better or worse.
It is a bad hen that does not scratch herself.
It is a long road that has no turning.
It is better to exist unknown to the law.
It is better to spend money like there's no tomorrow
than to spend tonight like there's no money!
It is not a secret if it is known by three people.
It is sweet to drink but bitter to pay for.
It is the good horse that draws its own cart.
It is the quiet pigs that eat the meal.
It takes time to build castles. Rome wan not built in a day.
It’s easy to be pleasant when life flows by like a song.
But the man worth while is the one who can smile
When everything goes dead wrong.
It's easy to have principles when you're rich. The important thing is to have principles when you're poor.
It's not a matter of upper and lower class but of being up a while and down a while.
It's the first drop that destroys you; there's no harm at all in the last.
Man can climb the highest summits, but he cannot dwell there long. -Shaw
Keep in with the bad man for the good man won't harm you.
Lack of resource has hanged many a person.
Leprechauns, castles, good luck and laughter.
Lullabies, dreams and love ever after.
A thousand welcomes when anyone comes...
That's the Irish Wish for You!
Life is like a cup of tea,
it’s all in how you make it!
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 upon our share of this common meal.
Listen to the sound of the river and you will get a trout.
Lucky stars above you,
Sunshine on your way,
Many friends to love you,
Joy in work and play-
Laughter to outweigh each care,
In your heart a song-
And gladness waiting everywhere
All your whole life long!
May all your troubles be little ones
and all your little ones be trouble free.
May all your ups and downs be under the sheets.
May brooks and trees and singing hills
Join in the chorus, too.
And every gentle wind that blows
Send happiness to you.
May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.
May God grant you always...
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you.
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...
May good luck be your friend
IN whatever you do.
And may trouble be always
A stranger to you.
May I see you grey and combing your grandchildren’s hair.
May joy and peace surround you,
Contentment latch your door,
And happiness be with you now,
And bless you evermore.
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!
May misfortune follow you the rest of your life, and never catch up.
May neighbours respect you,Trouble neglect you,The angels protect you,And heaven accept you.
May St. Patrick guard you wherever you go,
and guide you in whatever you do--
and may his loving protection be a blessing to you always.
May the blessings of each day
Be the blessings you need most.
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.
May the doctor never earn a pound out of you
May the embers from the open hearth warm your hands,
May the sun's rays from the Irish sky warm your face,
May the children's bright smiles warm your heart,
May the everlasting love I give you warm your soul.
May the enemies of Ireland never meet a friend.
May the face of every good news and the back of every bad news be towards us.
May the friendships you make,
Be those which endure,
And all of your grey clouds
Be small ones for sure.
And trusting in Him
To Whom we all pray,
May a song fill your heart,
Every step of the way.
May the good Lord take a liking to you...But not too soon!May the good saints protect you,
And bless you today.
And may troubles ignore you,
Each step of the way.
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 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.
May the joys of today
Be those of tomorrow.
The goblets of life
Hold no dregs of sorrow.
May the leprechauns be near you,
To spread luck along your way.
And may all the Irish angels,
Smile upon you St. Patrick’s Day.
May the leprechauns dance over your bed and bring you sweet dreams.
May the lilt of Irish laughter
lighten every load.
May the mist of Irish magic
shorten every road...
And may all your friends remember
all the favours you are owed!
May the luck of the Irish
Lead to happiest heights
And the highway you travel
Be lined with green lights.
Wherever you go and whatever you do,
May the luck of the Irish be there with you.
May the luck of the Irish possess you.
May the devil fly off with your worries.
May God bless you forever and ever.
May the Lord keep you in His hand
And never close His fist too tight.
May the most you wish for
Be the least you get.
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.
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.
May the roof above you never fall in,
And those gathered beneath it never fall out.
May the roof over your heads be as well thatched
As those inside are well matched.
May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past.
May the saint protect ye-
An' sorrow neglect ye,
An' bad luck to the one
That doesn't respect ye
t' all that belong to ye,
An long life t' yer honor-
That's the end of my song t' ye!
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 the sun shine, all day long,
everything go right, and nothing wrong.
May those you love bring love back to you,
and may all the wishes you wish come true!
May the wind always be at your back
May the wind you break always blow down wind.
May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun.
And find your shoulder to light on.
To bring you luck, happiness and riches.
Today, tomorrow and beyond.
May there always be work for your hands to do,
May your purse always hold a coin or two.
May the sun always shine warm on your windowpane,
May a 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.
May there be a generation of children on the children of your children. Health and long life to you, land without rent to you, a child every year to you, and death in Old Ireland.
May there be a fox on your fishing hook
And a hare on your bait
And may you kill no fish
Until St. Brigid’s Day.
May there be spring enough in your life
to outlast the winters;
May there be guitars (and drums) enough
to lift your spirits whenever you need it;
May you be gentle enough to comfort those who are hurting,
But revolutionary enough to bring heaven to those who need it now.
May there always be a leprechaun near you
to bring out laughter and dance and the child in you.
And may God always have room enough for you in the palm of his hand!
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.
May you always come more than you go.
May you always have a clean shirt, a clear conscience, and enough coins in your pocket to buy a pint!
May you always have money in your pocket
a woman to love
and a smile on your face.
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.
May you always walk in sunshine.
May you never want for more.
May Irish angels rest their wings right beside your door.
May you be across Heaven's threshold before the old boy knows your dead.
May you be at the gates of heaven an hour before the devil knows your dead!
May you be in heaven a full half hour
before the devil knows your dead.
May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings, slow to make enemies and quick to make friends. And may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.
May your blessings outnumber
The Shamrocks that grow.
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
May you die in bed at 95, shot by a jealous spouse.
May you enjoy the four greatest blessings:
Honest work to occupy you.
A hearty appetite to sustain you.
A good woman to love you.
And a wink from the God above.
May you get all your wishes but one,
so that you will always have something to strive for!
May you have all the happiness
and luck that life can hold—
And at the end of all your rainbows
may you find a pot of gold.
May you have a bright future - as the chimney sweep said to his son.
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 you have food and raiment, a soft pillow for your head.
May you be forty years in heaven before the devil knows you’re dead.
May you have length with your days,
and strength with your step,
and may each season have a reason
to celebrate your faith in mankind!
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!
May you have nicer legs than yours under the table before the new spuds are up.
May you have:
No frost on your spuds,
No worms on your cabbage.
May your goat give plenty of milk.
And if you inherit a donkey,
May she be in foal.
May you have the hindsight to know where you've been,
The foresight to know where you are going,
And the insight to know when you have gone too far.
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 you live a long life
Full of gladness and health,
With a pocket full of gold
As the least of you wealth.
May the dreams you hold dearest,
Be those which come true,
The kindness you spread,
Keep returning to you.
May you live all the days of your life.
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 100 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 feet never sweat,
your neighbor give you ne're a treat.
When flowers bloom, I hope you'll not sneeze,
and may you always have someone to sqeeze!
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.
May your heart be light and happy,
May your smile be big and wide,
And may your pockets always have
a coin or two inside!
May your heart be warm and happy
With the lilt of Irish laughter
Every day in every way
And forever and ever after.
May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.
May your mornings bring joyand your evenings bring peace...
May your troubles grow lessas your blessings increase!
May your pockets be heavy—
Your heart be light,
And may good luck pursue you
Each morning and night.
May your right hand always
Be stretched out in friendship
And never in want.
May your soul already be in heaven an hour,
before the devil knows your dead."
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.
May your troubles be less
And your blessings be more.
And nothing but happiness
Come through your door.
Men are like bagpipes: no sound comes from them until they're full.
Mere words do not feed the friars.
Morning is the time to pity the sober. The way they're feeling then is the best they're going to feel all day.
Mothers [fathers] hold their children’s hands for just a little while...
And their hearts forever.
My friends are the best friends
Loyal, willing and able.
Now let’s get to drinking!
All glasses off the table!
Nature breaks through the eyes of the cat.
Nature magically suits a man to his fortunes, by making them the fruit of his character.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Necessity knows no law.
Need teaches a plan.
No man can prosper without his woman's leave.
No son is as good as his father in his sister's eyes.
No father is as good as his son in his mother's eyes.
Nothing is as easy as it looks.
Everything takes longer than you expect.
And if anything can go wrong,
It will at the worst possible moment.
Now sweetly lies old Ireland
Emerald green beyond the foam,
Awakening sweet memories,
Calling the heart back home.
Oh, he occasionally takes an alcoholiday.--Wilde
Patience is poultice for all wounds.
People live in each other's shelter.
Practice makes perfect, there's many do think, but a man's not too perfect when he's practiced at drink.
Praise and scold in equal measure,
If your family you treasure.
Put silk on a goat, and it's still a goat.
Quiet people are well able to look after themselves.
Saint Patrick was a gentleman,
Who through strategy and stealth,
Drove all the snakes from Ireland,
Here’s a toasting to his health.
But not too many toastings
Lest you lose yourself and then
Forget the good Saint Patrick
And see all those snakes again.
'Beannachtam na Feile Padraig!'
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
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.
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.
Said when dressing...
Lord, clothe me with the robes of innocence.
Said during thunder and lightning...
O Lord, be between us and harm and protect us from the harm of the world
'Sláinte!'
To your health!
'Sláinte chuig na fir, agus go mairfidh na mná go deo.'
Health to the men, and may the women live forever!
'Sláinte go saol agat,
Bean ar do mhian agat.
Leanbh gach blian agat,
is solas na bhflaitheas tareis antsail seo agat.'
Health for life to you,
A wife of your choice to you,
Land without rent to you,
A child every year to you,
And the light of heaven after this world for you.
Sliocht sleachta ar shliocht bhur sleachta.
"Blessings on your posterity."
The best way to get rid of your enemies is God's way, by loving them.
The day will come when the cow will have use for her tail.
The devil invented Scotch whiskey to make the Irish poor.
The family that has no skeleton in a cupboard has buried it instead.
The health of all Ireland
and of County Mayo,
And when that much is dead,
may we still be on the go.
The hole is more honorable than the patch.
The lesson learned by a tragedy is a lesson never forgotten.
The light heart lives long.
The man with the boots does not mind where he places his foot.
The mills of God grind slowly but they grind finely.
The raggy colt often made a powerful horse.
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
The reason the Irish are always fighting each other
Is they have no other worthy opponents.
The smallest thing outlives the human being.
The truth comes out when the spirit goes in.
The wearer best knows where the shoe pinches.
The well fed does not understand the lean.
The words that I've said I meant when I spoke
and remember my words of wisdom
feck'em if you can't take a joke.
The work praises the man.
The world would not make a racehorse of a donkey.
There are good ships,
and there are wood ships,
The ships that sail the sea.
But the best ships, are friendships,
And may they always be.
There are many good reasons for drinking,
One has just entered my head-
If a man doesn't drink when he's living,
How the hell can he drink when he's dead?
There are only two kinds of people in the world,
The Irish
And those who wish they were.
There comes a time when you must take the bull by the tail and face the situation squarely.
There is hope from the sea, but none from the grave.
There is no fireside like your own fireside.
There is no luck except where there is discipline.
There is no need like the lack of a friend.
There is no strength without unity.
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.
Thirst is a shameless disease so here's to a shameful cure.
Thirst is the end of drinking and sorrow is the end of drunkenness.
Three diseases without shame: Love, itch and thirst.
Time is a great story teller.
‘Tis better to buy a small bouquet
And give to your friend this very day,
Than a bushel of roses white and red
To lay on his coffin after he’s dead.
To live above with the Saints we love,
Ah, that is the purest glory.
To live below with the Saints we know,
Ah, that is another story!
Two shorten the road.
Two thirds of the work is the semblance.
Walk straight, my son - as the old crab said to the young crab.
We attract what we love & what we fear.
We cannot share this sorrow
If we haven’t grieved a while.
Nor can we feel another’s joy
Until we’ve learned to smile
We drink to your coffin. May it be built from the wood of a hundred year old oak tree that I shall plant tomorrow.
What is Irish diplomacy?
It’s the ability to tell a man to go to hell,
So that he will look forward to making the trip.
When a twig grows hard it is difficult to twist it. Every beginning is weak.
When fire is applied to a stone it cracks.
When money's tight and hard to get,
and your horse is also ran,
When all you have is a heap of debt,
a pint of plain is your only man.
When the apple is ripe it will fall.
When the drop (drink) is inside, the sense is outside.
When the first light of sun-
Bless you.
When the long day is done-
Bless you.
In your smiles and your tears-
Bless you.
Through each day of your years-
Bless you.
When the liquor was gone the fun was gone.
When we drink, we get drunk.
When we get drunk, we fall asleep.
When we fall asleep, we commit no sin.
When we commit no sin, we go to heaven.
So, let's all get drunk, and go to heaven!
Whenever there is happiness
Hope you'll be there too,
Wherever there are friendly smiles
Hope they'll smile on you,
Whenever there is sunshine,
Hope it shine especially for you to make each day
for you as bright as it can be.
Wherever you go and whatever you do,
May the luck of the Irish be there with you.
Wine divulges truth.
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!
You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
You must live with a person to know a person. If you want to know me come and live with me.
Your health one and all,
from one wall to the other,
And you outside there—
speak up, brother!
You’re not as young as you used to be.
But...
You’re not as old as you’re going to be.
So watch it!
Youth does not mind where it sets its foot.
Youth sheds many a skin. The steed (horse) does not retain its speed forever
You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.
