Irish Christmas Blessings, Greetings and Poems

Blessings are part of the Celtic tradition in Ireland which merged with Christianity to create a beautiful tradition of toasts, greetings and farewells which wish good health and good luck on loved ones. There are a selection of traditional Irish Christmas Blessings coming up below, followed by an Irish Christmas greeting (Merry Christmas in Gaelic), and a list of Irish Christmas Poems.

Blessings in Ireland were originally part of the Gaelic language tradition but as more and more Irish people have adopted English as their first language, the custom of blessings has moved into using English words to express Irish feelings!

Christmas is a very important time of year in Irish culture, it is a time of family unity and remembering friends everywhere. Traditional blessings are the perfect way to let Irish friends know you are thinking of them and wish them health and good cheer in the year to come....

Here are a few short blessings for Irish Christmas cards, letters and party invitations...

• May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch on your door, and may happiness be guided to your home by the candle of Christmas.
• Nollaig faoi shéan is faoi shaonas duit: A happy and a prosperous Christmas to you!
• May the good saints protect you and bless you today. And may trouble ignore you each step of the way. Christmas joy to you!
• Beannachtaí na Nollag duit : The blessings of Christmas be with you!

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Here is how you say 'Merry Christmas' in Gaelic / Irish:

'Nollaig shona duit' (pronounced no-leg, hun-na ditch).

On New Year's Eve it is traditional to toast assembled friends and family with the blessing:

'May we all be alive and well here this time next year!'

Here are some Christmas poem by Irish poets which you can find at online poetry sites:

• "A Christmas Childhood" and "Advent" by Patrick Kavanagh
• "Snow" by Louis MacNeice
• "Christmas Day" by Paul Durcan
• "Oíche Nollag na mBan" by Seán Ó Ríordáin
• "The Kerry Christmas Carol" by Sigerson Clifford