Irish New Year Blessings and Toasts (and How to Say Happy New Year in Irish)

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As the New Year approaches, it’s time to embrace our rich tapestry of Irish traditions and blessings that usher in good fortune, happiness, and friendship. Every year, I say I am a bit wiser, but really, I find I am less wise. But what I do know is people smarter than me shared profound Irish wisdom.

So I put together this list of Irish New Year Blessings featuring everything from heartwarming Irish baby blessings to soul-stirring Irish New Year blessings. And even alongside some fun-loving, funny Irish drinking toasts, these traditions encapsulate the spirit of hope, joy, and togetherness. 

Let’s delve into the enchanting world of Irish New Year’s Eve traditions, where each custom, blessing, and toast forms a part of a vibrant tapestry woven with wishes for a prosperous and blessed year ahead.

Did you know:

11 Irish New Year blessings

1. “May your troubles be less, and your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door. Happy New Year!”
2. “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.”
3. “May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future.”
4. “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.”
5. “May the light of friendship guide your paths together and brighten every corner of your heart. Happy New Year!”
6. “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.”
7. “Here’s to a bright New Year and a fond farewell to the old; here’s to the things that are yet to come and to the memories that we hold.”
8. “May the new year bring you an abundance of joy, love, and prosperity. Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with endless blessings!”
9. “May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun, and find your shoulder to light on. To health, happiness, and love in the New Year!”
10. “May your heart be warm and happy, your smile be joyful, and your year be filled with success.”
11. “May your New Year be blessed with peace, love, and joy. Cheers to a prosperous year ahead!”

And do you have a birthday around Christmas or New Year? Well, have no fear, as I also have some wonderful Irish birthday blessing quotes. 

Now, I assume every one of us will be toasting to the new year! And why not? It is a fresh start, and who doesn’t love a good toast? 

So, I put together these Irish toasts. You can use these Irish toasts for New Year’s, but they are great for any occasion, such as toasting on St Patrick’s Day and Someone’s birthday. By the way, if you’re looking for a birthday blessing, I have them a bit further in the article. Oh, and you will also find some etiquette tips to ensure you are appropriate in the Irish toast. 

How to say Happy New Year in Irish

Irish	How to say it	Meaning
Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit	AH-vleen fwee WASH-uh ghwit	Happy New Year (to one person)
Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh	AH-vleen fwee WASH-uh deev	Happy New Year (to a group)
Go mbeire muid beo ar an am seo arís	guh MER-uh mwidj byoh er un am shuh ar-EESH	May we all be alive this time next year
Sláinte	SLAWN-cha	Health, the toast itself

The reply is Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit féin, “and to you”. Which is what you should have said to your granny at midnight last year. For the toast itself, see how to say cheers in Irish.

13 Irish toasts for New Year’s Eve, with a bit of etiquette

Some of these are funny Irish drinking toasts, as a lot of Irish toasts contain some Irish humour and seriousness. 

1. “May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future.” – This toast signifies a wish for continual improvement and happiness.
2. “May your troubles be less, and your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door.” is a classic Irish toast, expressing well-wishes for happiness and prosperity.
3. “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 beer and another one!” – A jovial and lighthearted toast, often shared among friends.
4. “May the winds of fortune sail you; may you sail a gentle sea. May it always be the other guy who says, ‘This drink’s on me!'” – A toast wishing luck and success while humorously avoiding the responsibility of buying the next drink.
5. “Health and life to you; the mate of your choice to you; land without rent to you, and death in Eirinn.” – This toast covers various aspects of a fulfilling life, including health, love, prosperity, and the wish for a peaceful death in Ireland.
6. “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.” – An affectionate toast wishing happiness and financial stability.
7. “May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.” – This toast expresses a desire for a fulfilling and contented life.
8. “Here’s to a sweetheart, a bottle, and a friend. The first beautiful, the second full, the last ever faithful.” – A toast celebrating love, enjoyment, and enduring friendship.
9. “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!” – A humorous toast wishing a comfortable life and a sneaky entrance into heaven.
10. “May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.” – A heartfelt wish for an abundance of friends and companionship.
11. “Here’s to you and yours and to mine and ours. And if mine and ours ever come across to 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!” – A complex yet humorous toast expressing goodwill and mutual support among friends.
12. “May the hinges of our friendship never grow rusty.” is a toast emphasizing the desire for enduring and strong friendships.
13. “May you be in heaven a full half-hour before the devil knows you’re dead.” is a humorous toast, similar to number nine, expressing the wish for a sneaky arrival in heaven.

Etiquette Tips:

• When making a toast, raise your glass and make eye contact with the person or people you are toasting.
• It’s polite to stand while giving a toast, although not always necessary in casual settings.
• Keep toasts brief and to the point, capturing the sentiment you want to convey without dragging on.
• After making a toast, take a sip of your drink, but avoid drinking the entire contents of your glass(as tempting as it can be). The focus is on the toast itself, not the drinking.
• Lastly, enjoy the moment and the company while sharing these wonderful toasts!

Irish blessings for birthdays and friends

Christmas and New Year birthdays get forgotten, so I keep a separate list of Irish birthday blessings. And if you want one to send the friends who got you through the year, there are 30 in my post on Irish toasts and blessings for friends.

13 Irish blessings for a baby born in the new year

Do you or someone have a newborn coming in the new year? Exciting times indeed! Feel free to use these heartfelt blessings to celebrate and wish blessings upon a new arrival in an Irish-inspired way!

1. “May your little one be blessed with the luck of the Irish, with laughter that echoes in the home, and with a heart that knows only love.”
2. “May your baby’s eyes sparkle like the emerald isle, their laughter be infectious like Irish mirth, and their life be blessed with joy and worth.”
3. “May your baby be as sturdy as an oak, as charming as an Irish smile, and as loved as a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”
4. “May your little one always have a hand to hold, a path to follow, and an Irish blessing to guide their way.”
5. “May your baby be surrounded by the warmth of family, the love of friends, and the blessings of the Irish every day of their life.”
6. “May your baby be as strong as a Celtic warrior, as wise as an old Irish tale, and as gentle as a Celtic lullaby.”
7. “May your baby’s life be blessed with Irish music to soothe the soul, Irish dance to bring joy, and Irish tales to spark imagination.”
8. “May your baby grow up with a heart as pure as a mountain stream, a spirit as free as the wind, and dreams as boundless as the Irish countryside.”
9. “May your little one’s smile light up the darkest of days, their laughter fill the home with joy, and their steps be guided by the luck of the Irish.”
10. “May your baby be blessed with the wisdom of Irish ancestors, the resilience of the Irish spirit, and the love that flows like the River Shannon.”
11. “May your child’s life be adorned with the colours of an Irish landscape, painted with love, happiness, and the blessings of the Emerald Isle.”
12. “May your baby be blessed with Irish eyes that twinkle with mischief, a heart that overflows with kindness, and a soul that dances with joy.”
13. “May your little one grow up with the warmth of an Irish hearth, the strength of Irish heritage, and the embrace of endless Irish blessings.”

Ah, the grand tapestry of Irish blessings and toasts woven with threads of joy, laughter, and tradition! As the year comes to a close, let’s clink our glasses and raise an Irish cheer for whomever you want. I hope this list of Irish blessings and Irish New Year blessings gives you all you need to bring in the new year! 

And as you have seen from above, all of those with birthdays snuggled close to the New Year, we’ve adorned them with Irish birthday blessings, each verse a melody of well-wishes and cheer.

Let’s march into the New Year embracing the cherished Irish traditions, where every baby is greeted with blessings as pure as the green grass of Ireland, where every birthday is celebrated and where every New Year is welcomed with the a smile on your face.

So here’s to the year ahead – a year that awaits, eager to be painted with strokes of joy, kindness, and endless adventures. May the melodies of Irish blessings echo in our hearts, may the spirit of Irish toasts brighten our gatherings, and may the warmth of these traditions bring us closer, forging friendships that endure.

Cheers to the New Year – a canvas awaiting our colourful strokes! May it be sprinkled with the charm of Irish blessings, painted with the laughter of shared toasts, and adorned with the blessings that traverse generations. 

Here’s wishing you all a year bursting with luck, laughter, and the delightful spirit of the Emerald Isle.

More for the turn of the year

• Irish New Year’s traditions, from the first-footing to the bread against the wall
• Nollaig na mBan, Women’s Christmas on the 6th of January
• 20 Irish Christmas blessings for the week before
• St Brigid’s Day, the first day of the Irish spring on the 1st of February
• Top 10 Irish toasts for any night of the year
• 125 Irish sayings and blessings for every occasion

Happy New Year!!!

FAQs about Irish New Year blessings

A. In Ireland, people often greet each other and offer New Year’s wishes in various ways. Some common phrases or sayings used by the Irish at New Year’s include:

1. “Happy New Year!” – In English, this simple and universal greeting is used widely.
2. “Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh!” – This is a New Year’s greeting in Irish Gaelic, which translates to “Happy New Year to you!” Pronounced as “Ah-vleen fwee vosh-ah gheev.”
3. “Bliain nua sásta!” – Another phrase in Irish Gaelic meaning “Happy New Year!” Pronounced as “Blee-in noo-ah saw-sta.”
4. “Sláinte chuig na fir, agus go mairfidh na mná go deo!” – It translates to “Health to the men and may the women live forever!” This saying is sometimes used during New Year’s to toast health and longevity.
5. “Good luck in the New Year!” – This is a straightforward wish for good fortune in the coming year.

Thanks for reading these Irish New Year Blessings! 

Stephen Palmer

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