St Patricks Day Blessings

"THE IRISH BLESSING":

MAY THE ROAD RISE TO MEET YOU,
MAY THE WIND BE ALWAYS AT YOUR BACK
MAY THE SUN SHINE 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 GRANT YOU MANY YEARS TO LIVE,
FOR SURE HE MUST BE KNOWING
THE EARTH HAS ANGELS ALL TOO FEW
AND HEAVEN IS OVERFLOWING

MAY YOU BE IN HEAVEN HALF AN HOUR
BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD!

AN OLD IRISH WEDDING BLESSING

MAY GOD BE WITH YOU & 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 YOU LIVE AS LONG AS YOU WANT
AND NEVER WANT AS LONG AS YOU LIVE

HEALTH AND LONG LIFE TO YOU
LAND WITHOUT RENT TO YOU
THE WOMAN OF YOUR CHOICE TO YOU
A CHILD EVERY YEAR TO YOU
A LONG LIFE, AND MAY YOU DIE IN IRELAND!

MAY THERE ALWAYS BE WORK FOR YOUR HANDS TO DO
MAY YOUR PURSE ALWAYS HOLD A COIN OR TWO.
MAY THE SUN ALWAYS SHINE ON YOUR WINDOWPANE.
MAY A RAINBOW BE CERTAIN TO FOLLOW EACH RAIN.
MAY THE HAND OF A FRIEND ALWAYS BE NEAR YOU.
MAY GOD FILL YOUR HEART WITH GLADNESS TO CHEER YOU.

WALLS FOR THE WIND, AND A ROOF FOR THE RAIN,
AND DRINKS BESIDE THE FIRE-
LAUGHTER TO CHEER YOU
AND THOSE YOU LOVE NEAR YOU,
AND ALL THAT YOUR HEART MAY DESIRE!

MAY THOSE THAT LOVE US, LOVE US.
AND THOSE THAT DON'T LOVE US,
MAY GOD TURN THEIR HEARTS.
AND IF HE DOESN'T TURN THEIR HEARTS,
MAY HE TURN THEIR ANKLES
SO WE WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR LIMPING.

MAY YOUR POCKETS BE HEAVY & YOUR HEART BE LIGHT
MAY GOOD LUCK PURSUE YOU EACH MORNING & NIGHT

MAY YOU LIVE ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE, AND
MAY THE SADDEST DAY OF YOUR FUTURE BE NO WORSE
THAN THE HAPPIEST DAY OF YOUR PAST!

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO FORGET THE THINGS THAT MADE YOU SAD
BUT NEVER FORGET TO REMEMBER THE THINGS THAT MADE YOU GLAD.
ALWAYS REMEMBER TO FORGET THE TROUBLES THAT PASSED AWAY
BUT NEVER FORGET TO REMEMBER THE BLESSINGS THAT COME EACH DAY

MAY YOUR NEIGHBOURS RESPECT YOU
TROUBLE NEGLECT YOU
THE ANGELS PROTECT YOU
AND HEAVEN ACCEPT YOU

ORIGINAL BLESSINGS BY ROBIN C. BURNS:

MAY SOFT GENTLE BREEZES BRUSH O'ER YOUR FACE,
FOR EACH LOVING TOUCH IS GOD'S WARM EMBRACE.
MAY YOU HAVE ENOUGH FOR ALL THAT YOU NEED,
AND NEVER BE HURT BY ANOTHER ONE'S GREED.
THE LORD KEEP YOU SAFE FROM TERRIBLE THINGS,
AND AT THE END OF THIS LIFE, LIFT YOU UP ON HIS WINGS.

MAY GOD GRANT YOU:
A PUPPY OR KITTEN TO LICK ON YOUR CHIN,
A LOTTERY TICKET - AND SURE IT'S A WIN!
A PANTRY FULL OF YOUR FAVOURITE FOODS,
A CLOSET LINED WITH THE BEST OF GOODS.
BUT MOST OF ALL, IN YOUR ARMS AND YOUR HEART:
THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE -AND MAY YOU NEVER PART!

MAY EACH MORNING DAWN SWEET AS NEW BABY'S BREATH,
YOUR HEART FULL OF SONG, YOUR PURSE FILLED WITH WEALTH.
MAY YOUR MEALS BE AMBROSIA, YOUR CLOTHES SOFT AS SILK,
YOUR ENEMIES SCARCE AND FRIENDS PLENTY AS MILK.
WHEN THE DAY'S NEARLY DONE, YOUR PRAYERS RISE WITH THE STARS,
COMFORTED KNOWING THAT GOD CAN'T BE FAR!

MAY YOUR CAKES ALWAYS RISE TO THE TOP OF THE PAN,
YOUR REPAIRS ALL BE DONE BY STRONG, STURDY HANDS.
WATER AND LIGHT EVER BE FLOWIN' -
MAY IT BE ONLY LOVE THAT YOUR DEAR HEART IS KNOWIN'!

1999: A NEW BLESSING TO THE IRISH AND THE HONORARY IRISH!
IF THE WIND IS HOWLIN' IN EVERYONE'S EARS,
MAY YOU HEAR A SOFT, LILTING BREEZE.
AND IF THE RAIN IS CRASHIN' DOWN,
MAY IT ONLY BE DEW AT YOUR KNEES.
IF THE GROUND 'NEATH YOUR FEET SHOULD QUIVER AND SHAKE,
I HOPE YOU'LL BE STANDIN' WITH EASE.
AND NEVER GO HUNGRY OR WANTIN' FOR MUCH-
MAY GOD GRANT YOU ALL THAT YOU NEED!

I COULD HAVE WEALTH BEYOND MY DREAMS,
BUT WHERE IS THE JOY IN THAT?
AND I COULD TRAVEL THE SEVEN SEAS,
BUT I WOULD ALWAYS COME BACK.
EVERYONE COULD KNOW MY NAME,
AND THERE WOULD BE NO PEACE.
I COULD HAVE UNDYING LOVE,
AND HEARTACHES STILL INCREASE.
NO, IF I WERE WEALTHY BEYOND MY DREAMS
(AND WHERE IS THE JOY IN THAT?)
IT WOULDN'T BUY FRIENDSHIP SUCH AS YOURS-
AND THERE IS THE JOY IN THAT!

AS SPRING ARRIVES, THE EARTH TURNS GREEN
JUST AS THE EMERALD ISLE
SO EVERYONE, AROUND THE WORLD,
CAN BE IRISH FOR A WHILE.

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 RAINBOWS TO YOU!

THE IRISH NE'ER WALK
BUT WHAT THEY DANCE AN IRISH FLING,
AND IRISH NE'ER TALK
BUT WITH LILTING VOICES SING.

MAY THE SUN SHINE, ALL DAY LONG,
EVERYTHING GO RIGHT, AND NOTHING WRONG
MAY THOSE YOU LOVE BRING LOVE BACK TO YOU
AND MAY ALL THE WISHES YOU WISH COME TRUE!

WE'RE ON THIS EARTH TOGETHER,
AND IF WE WOULD BE BROTHERS,
FIGHT-NOT ON YOUR OWN BEHALF-
BUT FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS

MAY YOUR FEET NEVER SWEAT,
YOUR NEIGHBOR GIVE YOU NE'ER A THREAT
MAY YOUR CAR BE FULL OF GAS
AND YOU OWE NOTHING TO THE IRS
WHEN FLOWERS BLOOM, I HOPE YOU'LL NOT SNEEZE
AND MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE SOMEONE TO SQUEEZE

I-RISH YOU A VERY NICE PLACE TO LIVE
I-RISH GOD'S GREATEST GIFTS HE'LL GIVE
I-RISH YOU HEALTH, AND WEALTH, AND MORE-
I-RISH YOUR SMILIN' FACE WERE AT MY DOOR!

MAY YOU HAVE:
A WORLD OF WISHES AT YOUR COMMAND
GOD AND HIS ANGELS CLOSE AT HAND
FRIENDS AND FAMILY THEIR LOVE IMPART,
AND IRISH BLESSINGS IN YOUR HEART!

ALL ORIGINALS COPYRIGHT ROBIN C. BURNS

MARRIAGE AND WEDDING BLESSINGS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD

CELTIC WEDDING BLESSING:
MAY YOU BOTH BE BLESSED WITH THE STRENGTH OF HEAVEN,
THE LIGHT OF THE SUN AND THE RADIANCE OF THE MOON.
THE SPLENDOR OF FIRE, THE SPEED OF LIGHTNING,
THE SWIFTNESS OF WIND, THE DEPTH OF THE SEA,
THE STABILITY OF EARTH AND THE FIRMNESS OF ROCK.

IRISH MARRIAGE BLESSING:
MAY THE BLESSING OF LIGHT BE WITH YOU ALWAYS,
LIGHT WITHOUT AND LIGHT WITHIN,
AND MAY THE SUN SHINE UPON YOU AND WARM YOUR HEART,
UNTIL IT GROWS LIKE A GREAT FIRE SO THAT OTHERS MAY FEEL
THE WARMTH OF YOUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.

AN OLD IRISH WEDDING BLESSING
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.

SCOTTISH WEDDING BLESSING:
IF THERE IS RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE HEART THERE WILL BE BEAUTY IN THE CHARACTER,
IF THERE IS BEAUTY IN THE CHARACTER THERE WILL BE HARMONY IN THE HOME.
IF THERE IS HARMONY IN THE HOME, THERE WILL BE ORDER IN THE NATION.
IF THERE IS ORDER IN THE NATION, THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE WORLD.
SO LET IT BE.

I'M LOOKING OVER A FOUR-LEAF CLOVER
THAT I OVERLOOKED BEFORE
ONE LEAF IS SUNSHINE, THE SECOND IS RAIN,
THIRD IS THE ROSES THAT GROW IN THE LANE.
NO NEED EXPLAINING THE ONE REMAINING
IS SOMEBODY I ADORE.
I'M LOOKING OVER A FOUR-LEAF CLOVER
THAT I OVER LOOKED BEFORE.

WHEN IRISH EYES ARE SMILING,
SURE IT'S LIKE A MORNING SPRING.
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.

AS YOU SLIDE DOWN THE BANISTER OF LIFE,
MAY THE SPLINTERS NEVER POINT IN THE WRONG DIRECTION!

MAY LUCK BE OUR COMPANION
MAY FRIENDS STAND BY OUR SIDE
MAY HISTORY REMIND US ALL
OF IRELAND'S FAITH AND PRIDE.
MAY GOD BLESS US WITH HAPPINESS
MAY LOVE AND FAITH ABIDE.

DANCE AS IF NO ONE WERE WATCHING,
SING AS IF NO ONE WERE LISTENING,
AND LIVE EVERYDAY AS IF IT WERE YOUR LAST.

LEPRECHAUNS, CASTLES, GOOD LUCK AND LAUGHTER
LULLABIES, DREAMS, AND LOVE EVER AFTER.
POEMS AND SONGS WITH PIPES AND DRUMS
A THOUSAND WELCOMES WHEN ANYONE COMES.
THAT'S THE IRISH FOR YOU!

MAY YOU LIVE TO BE A HUNDRED YEARS,
WITH ONE EXTRA YEAR TO REPENT.

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.

FOR EACH PETAL ON THE SHAMROCK
THIS BRINGS A WISH YOUR WAY
GOOD HEALTH, GOOD LUCK, AND HAPPINESS
FOR TODAY AND EVERY DAY.

GO MBEANNAI DIA DUIT
(MAY GOD BLESS YOU)

MAY YOUR BLESSINGS OUTNUMBER
THE SHAMROCKS THAT GROW,
AND MAY TROUBLE AVOID YOU
WHEREVER YOU GO.
(Dedicated to My Beautiful & Most Adored Little Irishman, My Beloved Son, Aiden))