Old Irish Thanksgiving blessings come in many shapes in sizes.
And, as is the case with many Irish blessings, they range from formal to nice and lighthearted.
Below, you’ll find some of our favourite Irish Thanksgiving blessings. Dive on in!
Our favourite old Irish Thanksgiving blessings
Photos via Shutterstock
Firstly, if you’re about to celebrate Thanksgiving, I’d like to send you warm wishes from myself and all of The Irish Road Trip Team here in Ireland.
I hope you and yours have a wonderful, memorable day (currently typing this from my cold attic in Dublin!). Right, let’s get to the Irish blessings for Thanksgiving!
1. The go-to for many
Few old Irish Thanksgiving blessings spark both nostalgia and a longing for Ireland like the celebrated ‘May the road rise to meet you‘.
Although you’ll often see this verse sat next to Irish wedding blessings, it’s a very apt Irish Thanksgiving toast.
“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.”
2. A blessing rooted in gratitude
Giving thanks and showing gratitude are key components of Thanksgiving and, while this blessing doesn’t thank a particular person, it prompts the listener to be grateful.
Taking time out to take note of the things you are grateful for in life is a rewarding task. This old Irish Thanksgiving blessing acts as a nice reminder to that.
“Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.”
3. Mist and magic
The next Irish blessing for Thanksgiving is one that’s very enjoyable to read aloud and that won’t require much reciting.
This verse mentions both the mist of Irish magic and lilting Irish laughter, making it perfect for those of you looking for a blessing or toast that’ll bring a dash of ‘Irishness’ to your gathering.
“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. A heart filled with warmth and happiness
If you want a short and less formal Irish blessing for Thanksgiving, this next one is well worth considering.
It’s arguably most suitable for a card. However, if you want to add an Irish toast to your Thanksgiving Day, this one will go down a treat.
“May your heart be warm and happy
With the lilt of Irish laughter
Every day in every way
And forever and ever after.”
5. A blessing for close friends
This Irish blessing for Thanksgiving has a nice bit of imagery woven into its verse.
There’s a mix of pagan traditions and Christian traditions in this one, grounded by blessings of laughter and friendship (see more Irish friendship blessings).
“May God grant you always a sunbeam to warm you, a moonbeam to charm you,
a sheltering angel so nothing can harm you.
Laughter to cheer you, faithful friends near you.
And whenever you pray, Heaven to hear you.”
6. For friends and family
The next of our short Irish Thanksgiving prayers can be a little bit tricky when you read it aloud the first time, so it’s worth reciting it a couple of times in advance.
You’ll typically hear this one used between two families who are coming together.
“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“.
7. The longest of our Irish Thanksgiving prayers
This is one of the longer Irish Thanksgiving prayers in this article and, if you plan on reading it aloud, take some time to rehearse it.
While it often gets read alongside Irish wedding poems, its sentiment makes it perfect for Thanksgiving, too.
“May the blessing of light be on you. Light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you and warm your heart till it glows like a great peat fire.
May your home be filled with laughter. May your pockets be filled with gold
And may you have all the happiness, Your Irish heart can hold.
May your blessings outnumber, The Shamrocks that grow
And may trouble avoid you, Wherever you may go.
May luck be a friend to you, And be with ye in all your days,
And may trouble be to you, A stranger, now and always.”
8. To a love that endures forever
If you’ve found some of the Irish Thanksgiving prayers to be a little long, this next one might tickle your fancy.
It’s short and sweet and it’s rhyming scheme make it a joy to hear or read.
“May you have love that never ends,
lots of money, and lots of friends.
Health be yours, whatever you do,
and may God send many blessings to you“.
9. Bless this house
Next up is another Irish blessing for Thanksgiving that has deep religious tones to it along with the theme of home and happiness.
You’ll see this used as an Irish blessing for new homes but it’s just as suitable as a Thanksgiving toast.
“Bless this house, O’ Lord we pray, make it safe by night and day;
Bless these walls, so firm and stout keep want and trouble out:
Bless the roof and chimney tall, let thy peace lie over all.”
10. A home brimming with laughter
The theme of many Irish Thanksgiving blessings revolve around gratitude. This one, however, focuses on the home.
It asks for the four walls to remain sturdy and for the home to be filled with laughter. A wonderful sentiment.
“May these walls be filled with laughter.
May it reach from floor to rafter.
May the roof keep out the rain, May sunshine warm each windowpane.
And may the door be open wide to let the good Lord’s love inside.”
Irish Thanksgiving toasts or sayings have we missed?
I’ve no doubt that we’ve unintentionally left out some brilliant Irish Thanksgiving toasts from the guide above.
If you have any Irish Thanksgiving sayings that you’d like to recommend, let me know in the comments below and I’ll check it out!
Or, if you’d like to add more Irishness to the day, see our guide to Gaelic sayings and Irish proverbs.
FAQs about Irish blessings for Thanksgiving
We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘Which are good for family gatherings?’ to ‘Which suit a card or letter?’.
In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.
What is an Irish blessing for Thanksgiving?
An old reliable is: “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.”
How do you express gratitude in Irish?
To say ‘Thank You’ in Irish we say ‘Go raibh maith agat’, which is pronounced ‘guh rev mah a-gut’.
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.