I love Irish sayings! For hundreds of years, Irish people worldwide have shared these pieces of wisdom, including Irish blessings and even Irish prayers. Maybe you are looking for an old Irish blessing or some funny Irish sayings. Well, I have put together the best Irish sayings and Irish wisdom. I hope you enjoy it and be sure to share.
Irish Sayings & Proverbs You Will Love:
- May the road rise up to meet you.
- A best friend is like a four-leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have.
- Don’t be breaking your shin on a stool that’s not in your way.
- May you get all your wishes but one so that you will always have something to strive for!
- For each petal on the shamrock, this brings a wish your way: Good health, good luck, and happiness for today and every day.” —Irish blessing.
- May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.
- You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was
- Who keeps his tongue keeps his friends.
- May the cat eat you, and may the devil eat the cat.
- There’s no need to fear the wind if your haystacks are tied down.
- 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!
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Every man is sociable until a cow invades his garden.
- May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.
- May you only grow old in the face. Be treasured and cared for with grace. Lovely Irish blessing
- 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.
- Tis better to spend money like there’s no tomorrow than to spend tonight like there’s no money!
- May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past.
- Grandchildren are gifts of God. It is God’s way of compensating us for growing old ~ Irish Sayings.
- A kind word never broke anyone’s mouth.
- A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.
- May the roof above you never fall in, and those gathered beneath it never fall out.
- A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures.
- He is bad that will not take advice, but he is a thousand times worse that takes every advice. —Irish proverb
- A little fire that warms is better than a big fire that burns.
- You’ll never plough a field by turning it over in your mind.
- May the hinges of our friendship never grow rusty!
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Never scald your lips with another man’s porridge.
- There is only one thing worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
- What butter and whiskey won’t cure, there is no cure for – Irish saying
- It is often that a person’s mouth broke his nose.
- 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!
- Lie down with dogs and you’ll rise with fleas.
- Always remember that hindsight is the best insight to foresight.
- The older the fiddle the sweeter the tune.
- May misfortune follow you the rest of your life, and never catch up.
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In every land, hardness is in the north, softness in the south, industry in the east, and fire and inspiration in the west.
- Men are like bagpipes – no sound comes from them until they are full.
- Life is like a cup of tea; it’s all in how you make it! Irish Saying
- A family of Irish birth will argue and fight, but let a shout come from without and see them all unite.
- Ireland is a land of poets and legends, of dreamers and rebels.” –Nora Roberts.
- If you buy what you don’t need, you might have to sell what you do.
- May misfortune follow you the rest of your life, and never catch up.
- All the world’s a stage, and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.
- It’s easy to halve the potato where there’s love.
- Here’s to me, and here’s to you. And here’s to love and laughter. I’ll be true as long as you. And not one moment after.
- 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.” –Irish Toast.
- May you be at the gates of heaven an hour before the devil knows you’re dead!
- If your messenger is slow, go to meet him.
- A best friend is like a four-leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have.
- If it’s drowning you’re after, don’t torment yourself with shallow water.
- 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. - A man’s got to do what a man has got to do. Women must do what they can’t
- The best things in life are the people we love, the places we have been and the memories we have made along the way.
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Do not resent growing old. Many are denied the privilege.
- Here’s to eyes in your heads and none in your spuds.
- Forgetting a debt doesn’t mean it’s paid.
- I complained that I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.
- Beautiful young people are acts of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.
- Two people shorten the road.
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A face without freckles is like a sky without stars
- A misty winter brings a pleasant spring, a pleasant winter a misty spring.
- If he went to a wedding, he’d wait for the christening.
- He who has water and peat on his own farm has the world his own way.
- A cabin with plenty of food is better than a hungry castle
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Beware of the anger of a patient man
- It is better to be a coward for a minute than dead for the rest of your life – Irish sayings about life
- Wisdom is the comb given to a man after he has lost his hair.
- It’s better to pay the butcher than the doctor
- God is good but never dance in a small boat.
- God made time, but man-made haste.
- A little fire that warms is better than a big fire that burns.
- The old person is a child twice – old irish sayings
- Although wisdom is good in the beginning, it is better at the end.
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However long the day, the evening will come – Irish Sayings
- Don’t fear an ill wind if your haystacks are tied down
- A friend’s eye is a good mirror
- The cat is always dignified until the dog comes by – Irish saying
- The man who has luck in the morning has luck in the afternoon.
- The only sure thing about luck is that it will change.~Wilson Mizner
- The one thing we Irish have is the ability to laugh at ourselves. God bless us all. –Ann Kennedy
- For the whole world is Irish on the Seventeenth o’ March! –Thomas Augustine Daly
- The leprechauns made me do it! – Unknown
- Every St. Patrick’s Day, every Irishman goes out to find another Irishman to make a speech to. –Shane Leslie
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St. Patrick’s Day is an enchanted time a day to begin transforming winter’s dreams into summer’s magic. – Adrienne Cook
- You can take a man of Ireland, but you can’t take out the Irishness of the man. – Tyson Fury
- The best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself. – Douglas McArthur
- Oh, March 17th, the day when the whole world is Irish for 24 hours. – Famous Irish quote from Stephen Palmer
- Being Irish is very much a part of who I am. I take it everywhere with me. –
- Yeah, it’s St. Paddy’s Day. Everyone’s Irish tonight. – Norman Reedus, ‘The Boondock Saints
- We may have bad weather in Ireland, but the sun shines in the hearts of the people, and that keeps us all warm. – Marianne Williamson
- 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. Irish Saying
- Through the storms of life, may the only thing brewing be your coffee – old Irish sayings
- There is no luck except where there is discipline – Irish Proverb
- There is luck in leisure.—short Irish sayings about luck
- When people don’t believe in you, you have to believe in yourself. —Irish quotes from Pierce Brosnan
- “Ireland has one of the world’s heaviest rainfalls. If you see an Irishman with a tan, it’s rust.” – Irish quotes from Dave Allen.
- “May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch to your door, and happiness be your guest today and evermore.” —Irish blessing
- Some Irish Gaelic sayings: Is fearr Gaeilge briste, ná Béarla clíste.Pronounce: Iss faar Gay-el-geh brish-teh naw Bay-er-lah clish-teh Broken Irish is better than clever English.
- An té a bhíónn siúlach, bíonn scéalach.Pronounce: On tay a vee-on shoo-loch(k), bee-on skay-loch(k)He who travels has stories to tell.
- Nuair a bhíonn an fíon istigh, bíonn an ciall amuigh.Pronounce: Nuh-ar a vee-on fee-on iss-chih, bee-on an keel am-wih.When the wine is in, the sense is out (There’s no sense to someone who’s drunk)
- Some funny Irish sayings: It is not a secret after three people know it.
- Every cock crows boldly in his own farmyard.
- The one who opens his mouth the most, it is he who opens his purse the least.
- It is often a blind person caught a hare.
- He who’s not strong, has to be able to run well
- Marry a woman from the mountain, and you will marry the entire mountain
- Is minic a chealg briathra míne cailín críonna.
Many a prudent girl has led astray with sweet words – old Irish saying - Some Irish wedding sayings: Is maith an bhean í ach níor bhain sí a bróga di go fóill.
She is a good wife, but she has not taken off her shoes yet. (she hasn’t been tested yet) - Is fearr an t-imreas ná an t-uaigneas.
The argument is better than the loneliness. - Mo stór
Pronounce: Muh store
My darling (also) - 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 – from this Irish poem - Let’s be drinking! Beimid ag ól!
(Pronounced Beh-mid egg ole)
– One I have used before, haha - Dia leat! (This blessing is said when someone sneezes. It is pronounced Dee-ah laht.)
- Traditional Irish house blessing:
God bless the corners of this house
And be the lintel blessed.
Bless the hearth, the table too
And bless each place of rest.
Bless each door that opens wide
To stranger, kith and kin;
Bless each shining window-pane
That lets the sunshine in.
Bless the roof-tree up above
Bless every solid wall.
The peace of Man, the peace of love,
The peace of God on all. - May there be rain at your funeral. – Irish sayings
- May God level the road for his soul
- “A cabin with plenty of food is better than a hungry castle.”
- “May you be poor in misfortunes and rich in blessings.”
- “May you always have a clean shirt, a clear conscience, and enough coins in your pocket to buy a pint!”
- Irish Greetings: Tá mé go maith:
- Pronunciation: taw may goh mah
- Meaning: This response means “I am well.”
- Irish Birthday Greetings: Lá breithe shona duit!
- Pronunciation: law breh-heh hun-uh ditch
- Meaning: This is a traditional way to say “Happy Birthday!” in Irish.
- Irish Toasts: 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.’ - I drink to your health when I’m with you, my friend,
I drink to your health when I’m alone,
I drink to your health so often,
I’m starting to worry about my own! -
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.
Which of these Irish sayings is your favourite?
Hard to decide; so many have such significant meanings. Be sure to share these Irish sayings with friends, enemies, and those who need them.
If you enjoyed Irish sayings, you would love my post on the 17 Irish blessings here. If you are still after a few more Irish sayings, then this post on Irish sayings about love will melt your heart. The article also includes Irish toasts.
You can also enjoy this short video I made of Irish sayings.
I also enjoyed this Irish proverb; you can click on it to share it on your Pinterest board:
Or, for some more great Irish proverbs, read this post.
Thanks for reading,
Stephen
P.S Join my weekly email newsletter here and get a weekly dose of Irish straight to your inbox.
Kelly Robinson
Saturday 1st of January 2022
There are only two kinds of people in the world, The Irish and those who wish they were.
Patricia Attwood
Friday 5th of March 2021
Goog Morning Love all the Irish quotes Thank you for sharing this . Happy St Patrick Day
Irish Around The World
Friday 5th of March 2021
And happy St Patrick's day to you too! :)
Caren Eubanks
Thursday 29th of August 2019
The Mists of Avalon is a novel I am listening to on Amazon audible right now about Merlin. Listen to it and enjoy. The first book is free and it's all about early Irish historical drama. Very good!!:-) you will learn a lot and most of it is true and it is fun and enjoyable to read.
Margaret
Friday 16th of November 2018
Love Irish around the world
Irish Around The World
Monday 28th of January 2019
Thanks so much :D