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St. Patrick's Day - Irish Toasts and Blessings

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Irish Toasts

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, may good luck pursue you each morning and night.

May the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends gathered below never fall out.

A trout in the pot is better than a salmon in the sea.

As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction.

A friend's eye is a good mirror.

May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.

He who loses money, loses much; He who loses a friend, loses more; He who loses faith, loses all.

May the Lord keep you in His hand and never close His fist too tight.

May your neighbors respect you, trouble neglect you, the angels protect you, and heaven accept you.

May the sound of happy music, and the lilt of Irish laughter, fill your heart with gladness, that stays forever after.

    May the frost never afflict your spuds.
    May the outside leaves of your cabbage always be free from worms.
    May the crow never pick your haystack,
    and may your donkey always be in foal.

May the hinges of our friendship never grow rusty. And our ale never turn musty.

St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time -- a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic.

"Maybe it's bred in the bone, but the sound of pipes is a little bit of heaven to some of us." ~ Nancy O'Keefe

"There is no language like the Irish for soothing and quieting." ~ John Millington Synge

    When Irish eyes are smiling
    When Irish eyes are smiling
    Sure it's like a morning spring.
    In the lilt of Irish laughter,
    You can hear the angels sing.
    When Irish hearts are happy,
    All the world seems bright and gay.
    And when Irish eyes are smiling,
    Sure, they steal your heart away.

Irish Blessings

    May the road rise up to meet you,
    may the wind be always at your back,
    May the sun shine warm upon your face,
    and the rain fall soft upon your fields,
    and until we meet again,
    May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

May you have: A world of wishes at your command. God and his angels close to hand. Friends and family their love to impart, and Irish blessings deep in your heart!

May the Irish hills caress you. May her lakes and rivers bless you. May the luck of the Irish enfold you. May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.

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.

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, and may good luck pursue you each morning and night.

May your blessings outnumber the Shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.

May you enjoy the four greatest blessings:

    Honest work to occupy you.
    A hearty appetite to sustain you.
    A good woman to love you.
    And a wink from the God above.

May you live a long life, full of gladness and health. With a pocket full of gold, as the least of your wealth.

May the dreams you hold dearest, be those which come true. The kindness you spread, keep returning to you.

May the friendships you make, be those which endure; and all of your grey clouds, be small ones for sure.

And trusting in Him, to Whom we all pray; May a song fill your heart, every step of the way.

    May the Lord Bless You
    May the LORD bless you and keep you;
    May the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
    May the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)
Ode to the Shamrock

    There's a dear little plant that grows in our isle,
    'Twas St. Patrick himself, sure, that sets it;
    And the sun of his labor with pleasure did smile,
    And with dew from his eye often wet it.
    It grows through the bog, through the brake, through the mireland,
    And they call it the dear little Shamrock of Ireland.

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