An Irishman's Life Philosophy

"In life, there are only two things to worry about, 
either you are well, or you are sick. 
If you are well, there is nothing to worry about, 
but if you are sick, you have two things to worry about; 
either you will live, or you will die. 
If you live, there is nothing to worry about, 
if you die, you have two things to worry about; 
either you will go to heaven or to hell. 
If you go to heaven, there is nothing to worry about, 
but if you go to hell, you'll be so busy shaking hands with your friends, 
you won't have time to worry!"

Over the years, American bartenders have concocted several "Irish" cocktails, among them:

  • A Manhattan, made with Irish whiskey (instead of Scotch) is a Rory O'More.

 

  • An Irish whiskey-based Tom Collins is a Mick Collins.

 

  • Irish Mist is a venerable liqueur that lists honey as one of its ingredients.  Mixed half and half with Irish Whiskey, it makes an Irish Brogue.

 

  • Irish Coffee, invented by Joe Sheridan, the bartender at Shannon Airport, briefly became something of a craze in suburban America.  Should you undertake to prepare a batch, you are advised to follow the  example of Mr. sheridfan, and employ one of the cheaper whiskey brands.  (Note: A journalist named Stanton Delaplane maintains he invented Irish coffee  in San Francisco's Buena Vista Bar.)

 

  •  Scarlett O' Hara - Southern Comfort & grenadine

 

  • Screaming Banshee - vodka,  cre'me de menthe, and cre'me de  banane

Irish Blessings & Toasts


Go méadaí Dia thú!
(May God prosper you!)
Céad Míle Fáilte!
(One hundred thousand welcomes!)
May your glass be ever full.
May the roof over your head be always strong.
And may you be in heaven half an hour
before the devil knows you're dead.
If you're lucky enough to be Irish...
You're lucky enough!
  There are only two kind of people on the earth, The Irish and those
that wish they were! 		Here's to our wives and girlfriends:
May they never meet!
Make new friends, but keep the old...
one is silver, and the other gold!
  May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings,
Slow to make enemies,
Quick to make friends,
But rich or poor, quick or slow,
may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.
 		May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
The sun shine warm upon your face.
The rain fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow,
and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.
  Those things I warmly wish for you-
Someone to love,
Some work to do,
A bit o' sun,
A bit o' cheer,
and a guardian angel always near
Health and life to you;
The mate of your choice to you;
Land without rent to you,
A child every year to you.
And death in Eirinn.

When we drink, we get drunk.
When we get drunk, we fall asleep.
When we fall asleep, we commit no sin.
When we commit no sin, we go to heaven.
So, let's all get drunk, and go to heaven! 		  Here's to you, as good as you are.
And here's to me, as bad as I am.

And as bad as I am and as good as you are,
I'm as good as you are as bad as I am!
 

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

 Here's to a long life and a merry one.
A quick death and an easy one.
A pretty girl and an honest one.
A cold beer and another one!
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!
  May the saddest day of your future be no worse
Than the happiest day of your past. 		Here's to me, and here's to you,
And here's to love and laughter-
I'll be true as long as you,
And not one moment after.

May you always have...
A sunbeam to warm you, Good luck to charm you,
And a sheltering angel So nothing can harm you,
Laughter to cheer you, Faithful friends near you,
And whenever you pray, Heaven to hear you.
May your joys Be deep and many,
May your heart be light and glad,
May you have the best St.. Patrick's Day
That you have ever had.
 
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 always have work for your hands to do.
May your purse hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

May you live as long as you want, And never want as long as you live.
  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. 		Always remember to forget
The friends that proved untrue.
But never forget to remember
Those that have stuck by you.
Always remember to forget
The troubles that passed away.
But never forget to remember
The blessings that come each day.
  Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.
 		May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks.
May your heart be as light as a song.
May each day bring you bright happy hours,
That stay with you all year long.

May the roof above us never fall in.
And may the friends gathered below it never fall out.
  May you live to be a hundred years, With one extra year to repent! May the luck of the Irish
Lead to happiest heights
And the highway you travel
Be lined with green lights.
  May your troubles be less
And your blessings be more.
And nothing but happiness
Come through your door.
 		May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept 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 your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,
May good luck pursue you each morning and night.
 		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 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 grass grow long on the road to hell for want of use. May I see you gray and combing your children's hair.

May you have:
No frost on your spuds,
No worms on your cabbage.
May your goat give plenty of milk.
And if you inherit a donkey,
May she be in foal.

May peace and plenty be the first
To lift the latch to your door,
And happiness be guided to your home
By the candle of Christmas.
  May the luck of the Irish possess you.
May the devil fly off with your worries.
May God bless you forever and ever.

For the test of the heart is trouble
And it always comes with years.
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth
Is the smile that shines through the tears.
      Here’s to a fellow who smiles
When life runs along like a song.
And here’s to the lad who can smile
When everything goes dead wrong. 		'Sliocht sleachta ar shliocht bhur sleachta.'

(May there be a generation of children On the children of your children.)
May the lilt of Irish laughter lighten every load
May the mist of Irish magic shorten every road
May you taste the sweet pleasures that fortune ere bestowed
and may all your friends remember all the favors you are owed.

Here's to a temperance supper,
With water in glasses tall,
And coffee and tea to end with
And me not there at all!
    'Tis better to buy a small bouquet
And give to your friend this very day,
Than a bushel of roses white and red
To lay on his coffin after he's dead.

We cannot share this sorrow
If we haven't grieved a while.
Nor can we feel another's joy
Until we've learned to smile. 		May the joys of today
Be those of tomorrow.
The goblets of life
Hold no dregs of sorrow.

Here's a toast to your enemies' enemies!

 

Go dté tú an céad agus bliain chun aithrí!

(Long life to you and a year for repentance!)

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'!
May the face of every good news and the back of every bad news be toward us.
Like the goodness of the five loaves and two fishes, Which God divided
among the five thousand men, May the blessing of the king who so divided be upon our share of this common meal.
May the strength of three be in your journey.
Here's that we may always have a clean shirt a clean conscience and a guinea in our pocket.
Go n-éirí an bóthar leat!
(May the road rise to meet you!_
An ádh na Gaeilge 
(Luck of the Irish)

Beannacht Dé leat!
(God's blessing with you) 		Rye bread will do you good Barley bread will do you no harm, wheaten bread will sweeten your blood, oaten bread will strengthen your arm.

'Sláinte go saol agat,
Bean ar do mhian agat.
Leanbh gach blian agat,
is solas na bhflaitheas tareis antsail seo agat.'

(Health for life to you,
A wife of your choice to you,
Land without rent to you,
A child every year to you,
A child every year to you, 
And the light of heaven after this world for you.)

May you be in heaven a full half hour
before the devil knows your dead. 
May the lilt of Irish laughter
lighten every load.
May the mist of Irish magic
shorten every road...
And may all your friends remember
all the favours you are owed!


May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessings,
slow to make enemies and quick to make friends.
And may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward

Saint Patrick was a gentleman,
Who through strategy and stealth,
Drove all the snakes from Ireland,
Here’s a toasting to his health.
But not too many toastings
Lest you lose yourself and then
Forget the good Saint Patrick
And see all those snakes again.
Here’s to health and prosperity,
To you and all your posterity.
And them that doesn’t drink with sincerity,
That they may be damned for all eternity!
 


For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way —
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.

Now sweetly lies old Ireland
Emerald green beyond the foam,
Awakening sweet memories,
Calling the heart back home. 		 

Nár lagaí Dia do lámh!
(More power to you!)


May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!

Fad saol agat, gob fliuch, agus bas in Eirinn.

(Long life to you, a wet mouth, and death in Ireland.)

Sláinte agus saol chugat!
(Health and long life to you!)


Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers—
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours—
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through! 		Maith thú!
(Good for you!)
Go mbeirimid beo ag an am seo arís.
(May we be alive at this time next year.)

   

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