Irish Funeral Blessing

While the highly popular “Irish blessing” was originally written as a prayer in Irish, there are various other versions and adaptations that have been created, including a poetry piece, “May The Road Rise To Meet You”, and a few versions of it as the older “Irish blessing” song. The very popular Irish Blessing can be used as a nice farewell to the deceased at a funeral. It is believed that the Patron Saint of Ireland once had May The Road Rise inscribed on her Breastplate. As nothing grows without rain, the lines on May the rain come down gently on this Irish blessing are believed to symbolize Gods continuing supply for the Irish people.

May the blessing of rain fall upon you, that it might thrash your spirit, that it might cleanse and make fair, that it might leave a shining Pool, that shines with the Blueness of heaven, sometimes with the Stars. May your blessings be greater than the shamrocks growing, and may misfortunes avoid you everywhere you go.

May you always have walls against the wind, roofs against the rain, tea by the fire, laughter to cheer you, people you love close by, and everything that your heart might long for? May God give you always sunbeams to warm you, moonbeams to enchant you, and shelter angels, to keep nothing from hurting you.

May your house be filled with laughter, May your pockets be filled with gold, And may you be blessed with every bit of happiness that the Irish heart can contain. May God grant You…for each storm, the rainbow, every tear, the smile, every concern, promise, and the blessing of each trial. May the blessings of the land be upon you, Soft beneath your feet when you walk along the way, Soft beneath you as you lay down upon it, Tired in the last days; And May it be easy to lay upon you, When, at last, you lay down beneath it.

The moving words of a most popular Irish Blessing, it wishes a departing man encouragement in every struggle, protection, and the sense that he is not alone. The Irish farewell Blessing conveys a poignant send-off by one to the other, until the two individuals are together again. Blessings and prayers are only a few ways Irish people cope with the passing of loved ones during funerals.

Hopefully, you will find one of these Irish blessings and prayers that is appropriate for the funeral reading or the eulogy or to memorialize someone who has passed. Or, for a real Irish nationality, you could swap them around for St. Patricks Day. The first line of this Irish blessing, as originally written in Irish, is Go a Bothar leat, which, instead of saying, may the Road rise to meet you, may more literally be translated, as May you be successful in your journey.