Are you looking for Irish St Patrick’s Day blessings? Do you want to know about all the many different St Patrick’s Day blessings available? Read our guide for more information on choosing the right blessings for your occasion.
Being a largely Roman Catholic nation, the Irish are generally a God-fearing people. St. Patrick’s Day celebrates the feast day of the patron saint of Ireland and falls on 17th March every year. It is an important day of holy obligation for the religiously inclined. One of the most beautiful St Patrick’s Day blessings is: “May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night, and the road downhill all the way to your door.”
Another famous blessing uttered on St Patrick’s Day is: “May the roof above us never fall in. And may the friends gathered below it never fall out.” The Potato Famine had driven thousands of Irish to the New World and countless more perished from starvation in the 18th and 19th centuries. From the hardships of hunger evolved Irish blessings: May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live.”
St Patrick’s Day Traditions
The shamrock is the symbol of St Patrick’ Day. It has three leaves on one stem and St Patrick used it to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity of the Christian faith during his missionary work. Wearing a shamrock is thus considered to bring you good luck and blessings! Over the centuries, Irish St Patrick’s Day has evolved from a day of religious observances to one of festivity and joyous celebration to herald the onset of spring.
Since spring is generally regarded to start on 21st March, St Patrick’s Day would see revelers dressed in green, the colour of life and new beginnings. Drinking ale tinged in green is one of the highlights of this day. Irish barmen would add drops of green food coloring to the beer and hearty patrons would raise glasses of green beer to rounds of Irish St Patrick’s Day blessings.
You can find many Irish blessings that are relevant on both St Patrick’s Day and other important days. Irish blessings that will ring true for years and are always appropriate include: “May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live.” These Irish blessings bring warmth of feelings and solidarity to everyone in your family.
