‘May The Road Rise To Meet You’ is arguably one of the most iconic of the many Irish blessings.
It is a simple yet meaningful Irish blessing thats steeped in wisdom, depth and love. The use of this blessing has transcended generations and has stood the test of time, acting as a source of comfort for many across the world.
Below, you’ll find the full Irish blessing ‘May The Road Rise To Meet You’ along with its background and my interpretation of it.
May The Road Rise To Meet You poem in full
Before we look into the meaning of ‘May The Road Rise To Meet You’, here is the Irish blessing (it’s often used as an Irish poem, too) in full:
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.
May God be with you and bless you;
May you see your children’s children.
May you be poor in misfortune,
rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
from this day forward.
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home,
and may the hand of a friend always be near.
May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.
May The Road Rise To Meet You Meaning Explained
Photos via Shutterstock
One of the more common questions that I get about the Irish blessing, “May the Road Rise to Meet You,” is where did it originate.
As is the case with many ancient Irish traditions, there’s no reliable source as to who wrote it and when. Here are my interpretations of its meaning, line by line.
Line 1: ‘May the road’
The first line of this Irish blessing is the most iconic: “May the road rise up to meet you”. This is a metaphor that wishes the recipient an easy journey, hoping that the road rises to make their journey that bit easier.
As you read this line, you can picture a weary traveller rambling along a steep road that eventually rises to transform the persons journey from a tough one to an easy one. It’s easy, from this line alone, to see why this is one of the more popular Irish wedding blessings.
Line 2: ‘May the wind’
The second line says: “May the wind be always at your back” and this further emphasises the sentiment from the first line. The speaker is continuing to wish the listener a more doable journey, courtesy of natural forces (the wind).
This line paints a clear picture – a person making their way along a path with a powerful breeze pushing them along, rather that hitting them from the front and making their journey a more difficult one.
Line 3: ‘May the sun shine’
The third line says: “May the sun shine warm upon your face”. Now, although it doesn’t include any Irish symbols, the symbolism is clear.
You could interpret this in several ways, but I like to think that the reader is wishing the listener a warm and wonderful journey (the opposite being cold and dark).
Line 4: ‘May the rains fall soft’
The second last line of this Irish blessing says: “May the rains fall soft upon your fields”. Again, the theme of wishing the listener an easy journey in life is repeated.
When reading this blessing, my mind always goes to the opposite of each line. In this instance, the opposite is torrential rain which would make field work in particular tough.
Line 5: ‘And until we meet again’
The final line is all about reunion: “And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.” This line is steeped in comfort and well wishes.
It wishes the listener(s) a safe journey and the hope that, one day, reader and listener will meet again.
The Poem Read Aloud
For those of you that may prefer to listen to this poem read aloud, I’ve recorded a short version above.
Remember, in life, regardless of who we are and where we’re from, every single one of us sets off on a journey, big or small.
Each journey, whether it’s moving abroad or getting married, brings with it its fair share of challenges – both good and bad.
The Irish blessing ‘May The Road Rise To Meet You’ acknowledges each of these challenges and periods of transition and meets them with various well wishes.
It is a simple Irish blessing that makes a good Irish toast, especially if you’re looking for one that’s short and simple.
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.