Irish blessings for friends and family are commonly used when raising a glass at a gathering, adding a heartfelt note to a card, or offering warm words during a special moment.
Some Irish sayings about family reflect deep bonds, resilience, and the warmth of home while others fall more into the religious Irish blessing category.
Whether lighthearted or deeply meaningful, these blessings and sayings celebrate the ties that bind, offering wisdom, warmth, and a touch of Irish charm.
My favourite Irish friendship blessings
Photos via Dan and Molly’s on FB
Right – let’s get straight into it. Below, you’ll find a mix of funny and meaningful Irish sayings for family and friends.
Each is unique in its own right and all but one or two are nice and short and therefore easy to memorise.
1. To security
Throughout its past, Ireland has endured and overcome numerous challenges. This is akin to many friendships.
This is a short toast that wishes the listener safety and security while also hoping that the friendship lasts.
“May the roof above us never fall in, And those gathered beneath it never fall out.”
2. An iconic friendship blessing
Few Irish sayings for family and friends have stood the test of time like ‘May the road rise to meet you‘.
This is one of very few Irish friendship blessings that’ll likely spark a bit of nostalgia in the listener.
“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.”
3. A toast to pleasant vices
This is one of our favourite Irish friendship blessings and it’s one that’s taking from our guide to Irish drinking toasts.
There aren’t many funny Irish blessings, but this one has a nice bit of lightheartedness to it.
“Here’s to cheating, stealing, fighting, and drinking. If you cheat, may you cheat death. If you steal, may you steal a woman’s heart. If you fight, may you fight for a brother. And if you drink, may you drink with me.”
4. A more Irish friendship blessing
If you’re not interested in Irish friendship blessings that contain much humour, this one is worth considering.
It’s shirt, easy to read off and the final line tends to get people thinking.
“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.”
5. For the person of few words
Some of the finest Irish sayings for family and friends are grand and short. This is the case with this next one.
It’s arguably more suitable for the likes of a birthday card but it can be easily used at the end of an Irish wedding toast.
“May you live as long as you want. And never want as long as you live”.
6. A dollop of humour for family
Our next Irish friendship blessing is nice and lighthearted and very easy to rhyme off without much practice
“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.'”
7. May all your friends remember
Next is arguably one of the more familiar Irish blessings for friends and the first line tends to flick right off the tongue with ease.
It has a bit more meaning than some of the others above, too!
“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!”
Related read: See our guide to 18 beautiful Irish wedding blessings to add to your ceremony
8. To health
If you’re looking for funny Irish friendship blessings, this next one is likely to tickle your fancy.
Arguably best used by friends that often share a drink together, this one tends to appear in many guides to Irish birthday blessings.
“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!”
9. A fine toast
This is one of the more popular Irish blessings for friends that’s used to get people standing and toasting a particular person.
It’s nice and short and it sounds great when read aloud. It’ll also prompt people to stand!
“My dear friends, they’re the best friends, each is loyal, trust-worthy and able. But now it’s time for drinking, so lift all of your glasses off the table!”
10. Wealth
And last but by no means least is a blessing that wishes the listener wealth and good fortune!
“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!”
Etiquette for using Irish sayings about family and friends
Many articles online that revolve around Irish quotes about family tend to be a little bit all over the place. It’s worth taking note of:
1. Most articles online are nonsense
There’s thousands of ‘guides’ online that claim to be packed with 101 Irish friendship blessings. The thing is, the majority are in now way Irish/in no way linked to Ireland, so keep that in mind.
2. Sense check beforehand
Now, only you know the relationship you have with the friend in question. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that many Irish blessings for friends are packed with Irish slang words and Irish insults (just incase the friend is easily offended!).
3. Blessings vs jokes
A lot of people confuse Irish jokes with Irish blessings. The two differ greatly. The former are suitable for casual occasions. The later tend to be more suitable for formal occasions.
FAQs
I’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘What are some funny Irish sayings for family?’ to ‘What blessings are good for a best mans speech?’.
In the section below, I’ve popped in the most FAQs . If you have a question that I haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.
What is a good Irish friendship blessing?
May your days be filled with joy and cheer, and may laughter light your way, May friends stand strong beside you, through each night and day. May your bonds be like the shamrock, ever growing, ever true, And may the warmth of friendship’s light shine bright in all you do.
What do Irish people say for friends?
The Irish word for ‘friend’ is ‘cara.’ ‘My friend’ is ‘mo chara,’ and ‘mo chairde’ means ‘my friends.’
What is the Irish toast for friendship?
Two great Irish sayings for friends are: “May your troubles be less and your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door” and “There are good ships and wood ships, ships that sail the sea, but the best ships are friendships—may they always be.”
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent much of the last 13 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 40 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.
John McCrane
Friday 24th of January 2025
two of my families best, “ May you be in heaven a half a hour before the devil knows your dead. “ and. “ Do you know the difference between a Irish wedding and a Irish funeral? One less drunk.”