Funny Irish blessings add a nice dash of Irishness to a toast, speech, or celebration.
While many traditional Irish blessings lean towards wisdom and well wishes, some bring a touch of humour—perfect for a wedding, St. Patrick’s Day, or a casual gathering.
Below, you’ll find a mix of lighthearted and slightly funny Irish good luck sayings that pair charm with wit. Whether you’re raising a glass or sharing a laugh, these will go down well with the right crowd.
Looking for funny sayings, like ‘There’s more meat on a butchers pencil’? You’ll find them in our funny Irish sayings guide!
Funny Irish blessings and quotes
Just remember—Irish humour is as much about the delivery as the words themselves.
Pick the right blessing or Irish toast for the right crowd, say it with confidence, and you’ll have them laughing (or at least nodding in approval).
1. To your health
“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!”
This first funny Irish blessing is arguably most appropriate for a family gathering or an evening with close friends.
2. A merry one
“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!”
If you’re in search of a short, lighthearted and slightly funny Irish blessings for weddings, this one is worth contemplating.
3. A quirky one
With mentions of the enchanting mist of Irish magic and the laughter of Ireland, this is one of several funny blessings that has gained popularity among those seeking to add some “Irishness” to a speech/toast.
“May the lilt of Irish laughter lighten every load, may the mist of Irish magic shorten every road, may you taste the sweetest pleasures that fortune ere bestowed, and may all your friends remember all the favours you are owed.”
4. For friends
“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!”
Due to their nature, many of these funny Irish blessings are more suited to gatherings with friends (see my Irish wedding blessings guide for more formal ones!). This one is perfect to use when sitting around and sipping with pals.
5. Wealth
“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!”
Next is another of the not-quite-laugh-out-loud funny Irish blessings, but it should earn you a smile. It’s also nice and short which makes it easy to read out without any real prep.
Related read: Add a dash of ‘Irishness’ to your day with these Irish wedding poems
6. A full glass
“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.”
Next up is one of the more common Irish wedding toasts and it has a good mix of mischief and humour.
7. To those who love you
“May those who love you love you, And those who don’t love you, May god turn their hearts. And if he doesn’t turn their hearts, May he turn their ankles so you’ll know them by their limping”.
Several of the funny Irish blessings can make the tongue twist the first couple of times you read them out. So, it’s worth practising this one a couple of times just to be safe!
8. For St Patrick’s Day
“St 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“.
If you’re after some funny Irish blessings to use on St. Patrick’s Day, then this one is worth considering.
9. A very Irish one
“Let us throw on our dancin’ shoes, along with our mighty shamrocks green, and proudly toast to friends, living here and everywhere in between.”
I’m fond of this one as the rhyming makes it grand and handy to recite (especially if you’ve been sipping a few Irish beers…).
Related read: Read our guide to 21 of the most unique and unusual Irish wedding traditions
10. The drinks on me
“Let the winds of fortune sail you, And may you sail a gentle sea. And let it always be the other fella who says, ‘Lads – this drink’s on me.’
Irish drinking toasts are fairly popular ‘across the sea’. This is one that tends to fall into the ‘funny Irish sayings’ category.
11. An iconic Irish blessing
“May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”
I’m going to round off our Irish blessings funny examples with a very unfunny Irish saying. The reason for this is that most people will have realised at this point that maybe a non-funny Irish blessing is more suitable.
Etiquette for funny blessings
So, before scrolling to the funny Irish sayings, it’s important to get some warnings out of the way that you need to be aware of:
1. 99% of what you see online isn’t Irish
The vast majority of articles titled something along the lines of ‘7,000 Funny Irish Blessings For Every Occasion’ are in no way Irish. You might get away with using them if you read them out in front of a crowd with very few Irish people, but 90% of Irish people will spot them for what they really are.
2. Sense check in advance
Some funny Irish sayings contain Irish slang words and Irish insults. These are generally not too offensive, but it’s worth sense checking any words you don’t fully understand to avoid any awkward moments.
3. Jokes vs blessings
Irish jokes and Irish blessings are two very different things, yet we constantly hear of people confusing the former for the latter. It’s generally accepted that jokes are not appropriate substitutes for blessings.
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.