Sláinte is the basic form in Irish. Variations of this toast include sláinte mhaith "good health" in Irish (mhaith being the lenited form of maith "good").
“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.”
“Here's to the land of the shamrock so green. Here's to each lad and his darlin' Colleen. Here's to the ones we love dearest and most. May God bless old Ireland, that's this Irishman's toast!”
"May you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows you're dead." "Dance as if no one were watching, sing as if no one were listening, and live every day as if it were your last." "May your heart be light and happy, may your smile be big and wide. And may your pockets always have a coin or two inside."
“May the road rise up to meet you” is one of the most famous Irish blessings. You can read all about the meaning behind it here.
Or, if some of those things are well known, you can keep your toast super simple: “Raise your glasses to (person, people, or organization) because (reason or occasion). (Add a compliment here.) Cheers!”
The traditional Scottish Gaelic toast when raising a glass to say 'cheers' is Slàinte mhath which is pronounced slan-ge-var. In Scotland, going to the pub or meeting up for a friendly drink is very much part of our culture.
"May the most you wish for be the least you get." "May good fortune precede you, love walk with you, and good friends follow you." "May your home be a place where friends meet, family gathers and love grows." "May the roof above us never fall in, and may we, as friends, never fall out."
Famous Irish drinks
Guinness, Jameson and Baileys are arguably three of the most popular Irish drinks. However, there are many other Irish alcohol brands, like Murphy's, Drumshambo, Dingle, Powers and much more that are well-known in Ireland and abroad.
The term toast, as in drinking to one's health, comes from the literal practice of dropping a piece of toast in your drink. In the 16th century, it was common practice to add a piece of scorched or spiced toast to wine. The bread would help to soak up some of the acidity and improve flavor in poor wine.
May there be a generation of children on the children of your children. Health and long life to you, land without rent to you, a child every year to you, and death in Old Ireland. May the roof above you never fall in, And those gathered beneath it never fall out.
A toast speech should have three main parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction should grab the attention of the audience, introduce yourself and your relationship to the honorees, and state the purpose of your toast.
A toast is a ritual during which a drink is taken as an expression of honor or goodwill. The term may be applied to the person or thing so honored, the drink taken, or the verbal expression accompanying the drink.
“The best length for a toast is about three minutes,” Polansky says. “It's enough time to say what you need to say, but short enough that you'll still have everyone's attention when you ask them to raise their glasses to toast the happy couple.” Practice.
The most common greeting is the handshake. The Irish usually shake hands when being introduced or when greeting a friend or work colleague. In formal situations or with people of higher status, titles and last names are used. Among close friends and family, the Irish may hug and kiss each other on the cheek.
"May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home, May good and faithful friends be yours wherever you may roam." "There are good ships and there are wood ships, Ships that sail the sea, But the best ships are friendships, May they always be." "May the hinges of our friendship never grow rusty."
The most Traditional Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
What is a funny and short Irish toast? “I drink to your health when I'm with you, I drink to your health when I'm alone, I drink to your health so often, I'm starting to worry about my own!”
Say dia duit (dee-ah gwit) to greet people in any setting. This phrase literally means "God to you," also interpreted as "May God be with you." Amongst Irish speakers, this is the common way to say "hello" to anyone you meet.
Usually, toasts end with some kind of wish for the future, such as “May you live for as long as you want, and never want for as long as you live!” If you find yourself at a lot of formal dinners, it can be wise to memorize a go-to toast or two, whether heartfelt (“May your house always be too small to hold all our ...