Irish Blessings & Sayings
Pronunciations, where given, are an approximate guide for English speakers — Irish has several dialects, so treat them as a starting point.
Ten Irish sayings & blessings
Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine.
We live in one another’s shelter.
say it roughly: er skaw uh KHAY-luh uh WAR-un nuh DEE-nyuh
Literally “people live in each other’s shadow/shelter” — about needing community.
Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí.
Praise the young and they will flourish.
Encouragement helps people grow.
Tús maith leath na hoibre.
A good start is half the work.
say it roughly: toos moy lah nuh HIB-ruh
Giorraíonn beirt bóthar.
Two people shorten the road.
Good company makes any journey lighter.
An rud is annamh is iontach.
What is seldom is wonderful.
Rare things are precious.
Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin.
There’s no hearth like your own hearth.
The Irish for “there’s no place like home.”
Bíonn siúlach scéalach.
The traveller has tales to tell.
Those who go places come back with stories.
Níor bhris focal maith fiacail riamh.
A good word never broke a tooth.
It costs nothing to be kind.
Is fearr Gaeilge bhriste ná Béarla cliste.
Broken Irish is better than clever English.
A much-loved motto for Irish learners — use what you have.
Go n-éirí an bóthar leat.
May the road rise to meet you.
say it roughly: guh NYEE-ree un BOH-har lat
A blessing for a journey; literally, “may the road succeed for you.”
A little about seanfhocail
Seanfhocail are some of the oldest living Irish you can learn — short, rhythmic, and easy to carry. Many rhyme or play on sound, which is exactly why they’ve survived. Learn one, and you’re holding a line that Irish speakers have passed hand to hand for centuries.
Common questions
- What is a seanfhocal?
- A seanfhocal is an Irish proverb or old saying. The word literally means “old word” (sean = old, focal = word), and the plural is seanfhocail. They carry traditional wisdom in a short, memorable line.
- What does “Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine” mean?
- It means “we live in one another’s shelter.” Literally, “people live in each other’s shadow/shelter.” It expresses how we all depend on each other for support — close to the English “no one is an island.”
- What does “Go n-éirí an bóthar leat” mean?
- It is a blessing for a journey, usually translated “may the road rise to meet you.” More literally it means “may the road succeed for you” — a wish that your way ahead goes well.
- What does “Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin” mean?
- It means “there’s no hearth like your own hearth” — the Irish equivalent of “there’s no place like home.” The tinteán (hearth or fireplace) stands for home itself.
- What is a good short Irish blessing?
- “Go n-éirí an bóthar leat” — “may the road rise to meet you” — is one of the best-loved short Irish blessings, used to wish someone well as they set out on a journey or a new chapter.
Get a line of Irish every morning
Lá Maith brings a line of Irish to your morning — affirmations, gentle thoughts, and sayings like these — each with its English meaning, ready to save and return to. Free on the App Store.