Irish proverbs and quotes

Discover only the best and most famous Irish proverbs and quotes!

ere are over 300 Irish proverbs, quotes, toasts, blessings, and assorted other quotations about Ireland and the Irish people. For more history, see Irish History.

Irish Quotes
The problem with Ireland is that it's a country full of genius, but with absolutely no talent.
Hugh Leonard
Irish Quotes
But the greatest love -- the love above all loves,
Even greater than that of a mother...
Is the tender, passionate, undying love,
Of one beer drunken slob for another.

Irish ballad
Irish Quotes
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Irish blessing
Irish Quotes
Holy Mother take the harm of the years away from you.

Irish blessing
Irish Quotes
Health and a long life to you.
Land without rent to you.
A child every year to you.
And if you can't go to heaven,
May you at least die in Ireland.

Irish blessing


Two shorten the road.

Irish proverb
Irish Quotes
God's help is nearer than the door.

Irish proverb
Irish Quotes
Praise the child and you praise the mother.

Irish proverb
Irish Quotes
A boy's best friend is his mother and there's no spancel stronger than her apron string.

Irish proverb
Irish Quotes
Mothers hold their children's hands for just a little while...
And their hearts forever.

Irish proverb
Irish Quotes
It is the good horse that draws its own cart.

Irish proverb


Top 50: Irish Sayings & Proverbs


The best of Irish wit and wisdom.
There's one thing that all Irishmen have in common. No, we're not talking about a propensity for drinking before noon. We're talking about the gift of gab. From heralded scribes like Oscar Wilde and Jonathan Swift to that drunken guy at the end of the bar, the sons and daughters of Erin are blessed with an ability to spin yarns and spout witticisms. And that's great if you're Irish, but what if you have the misfortune of being born hundreds of miles away from the Emerald Isle?


1. May the luck of the Irish be with you!

2. If you want praise, die. If you want blame, marry.

3. 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 pint and another one!

4. If you’re enough lucky to be Irish... You’re lucky enough!

5. May you have the hindsight to know where you've been, the foresight to know where you are going, and the insight to know when you have gone too far.

6. A man may live after losing his life but not after losing his honour.

7. "All the world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed." - Sean O'Casey

8. You've got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your father was.

9. It is often that a person's mouth broke his nose.

10. It is better to spend money like there's no tomorrow than to spend tonight like there's no money!