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20 Of My Favourite Irish Proverbs And Sayings For St Patrick’s Day

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This is a collection of my personal favourite words of wisdom from old Irish proverbs. Several comments have also been made, so I updated this article as St Patrick’s Day is here! I hope you have a great St Patrick’s Day 2024! 

happy st patricks day

You may have heard some in passing, and you may have heard some for the first time. Either way, these Irish proverbs offer some great life lessons.

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If you love Irish proverbs, you will also love these Irish sayings.

Before I get to the main Irish proverbs, here are five quick ones for St Patrick’s Day. 

  1. “May everything turn green today except your gills!”
  2. 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 St. Patrick behold you.
  3. Irish toast for St Patrick’s Day –

    Here’s to you and here’s to me, I pray that friends we’ll always be, but if by chance we disagree, the heck with you and here’s to me.

  4. May you always walk in sunshine. May you never want for more. May Irish angels rest their wings beside your nursery door.
  5. I wish that every day for you will be happy from the start, and may you always have good luck and a song within your heart.

Let’s get started with some of these incredible Irish proverbs:

 20 of my favourite Irish sayings about Ireland

  1. Mura gcuirfidh tú san earrach ní bhainfidh tú san fhómhar. Translation: If you do not sow in the spring, you will not reap in the autumn.
  2. May you live to be a hundred years, with one extra year to repent. May you live to be a hundred years, with one extra year to repent - Irish proverbs
  3. A craftsman’s son may grow up in ignorance of his father’s skills.
  4. Youth does not mind where it sets its foot.
  5. Don’t become broke by trying to look richDon't become broke trying to look rich
  6. The light heart lives long.
    Irish Proverb
  7. The well-fed does not understand the lean.
  8. Better to be fortunate than rich.
    Irish Proverbs
  9. You can’t kiss an Irish girl unexpectedly. You can only kiss her sooner than she thought you would.
  10. Do not take the thatch from your own roof to buy slates for another man’s house.Do not take the thatch from your own roof to buy slates for another man’s house Irish proverbs
  11. There is no use boiling your cabbage twice. 
  12. A tune is more lasting than the song of the birds,And a word more lasting than the wealth of the world.
  13. It is as easy to catch a cold in a King’s castle as in a shepherds hut. It is as easy to catch a cold in a King's castle as a shepherds hut best Irish proverbs
  14. Never scald your lips with another man’s porridge.
  15. Lose an hour in the morning and you will be looking for it all day. Lose an hour in the morning and you will be looking for it all day - Irish proverbs

  16. A drink precedes a story. – Irish Proverbs

  17. No matter how many rooms you have in your houseyou’re only able to sleep in one bed.No matter how many rooms you have in your house, you're only able to sleep in one bed Irish proverbs

  18. Men are like bagpipes – no sound comes from them until they are full.
  19. Take the world nice and easy, and the world will take you the same.
  20. It’s a lonely washing that has no man’s shirt in it ~ Irish proverbs

    Irish proverb It’s a lonely washing that has no man’s shirt in it Irish proverb

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Which of the above Irish proverbs is your favourite?

Be sure to leave a comment below and hit that share button.

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Some bonus Irish proverbs I also enjoyed:

  • A companion shortens a road.
  • Beauty doesn’t boil the kettle.
  • Sleep is the first sign of recovery.
  • A fat Christmas makes for a tight graveyard.
  • 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!
  •  Forgetting a debt doesn’t mean it’s paid.
  • A good word never broke a tooth 
  • Every patient is a doctor after his cure
  • No man ever wore a scarf as warm as his daughter’s arm around his neck.

If you love these Irish proverbs, then check out these amazing sunset quotes.

And if you loved them, there are 100 more Irish sayings here to check out. 

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Lorraine Taggart Measor

Sunday 5th of February 2023

I like dont chew your cabbage twice! My favorite growing up!

Irish Around The World

Thursday 9th of February 2023

No that is a good one!

Patrick McCusker

Saturday 4th of February 2023

One of my favorite Irish Proverbs is:

Irish diplomacy is the ability to tell a man to go to hell so he looks forward to the trip!

Irish Around The World

Thursday 9th of February 2023

Good one!

MAX MOHAN

Saturday 19th of November 2022

LOVE THEM ALL! Attended a boarding school in India run by Irish Catholic brothers. That makes me an honorary Irish!?

Irish Around The World

Sunday 20th of November 2022

Indeed it does, Max! :)

Ellen Lyons-White

Friday 25th of February 2022

I love all the Irish proverbs. I miss hearing my mother's voice, a very Irish Clare accent, she never lost it, lived in England a long time. One thing she used to say was of money.... "you can't have it and spend it" I've never heard anyone else say that!

Irish Around The World

Sunday 27th of February 2022

She was very wise!

Deborah Dolan

Friday 25th of February 2022

My favorite is "It's a lonely washing that has no mans shirt in it" Beautiful thank you Stephen.

Irish Around The World

Sunday 27th of February 2022

Yes, that is one of my favourites as well. Glad you enjoyed it.