Go n-éirí an bóthar leat
Written for English speakers and editorial rather than sourced. It will get you close enough to be understood, and it is not a substitute for a native speaker. Recorded audio is planned; see About.
When to use it When you want the form everyone will recognise from the famous English blessing. Knowing its page states how it is sourced.
About this saying
Somewhere between Irish and English the ordinary idiom for succeeding (a road “rising with you”) became an image of tarmac tilting up in welcome, and the resulting English blessing conquered the world: wedding readings, wall plaques, at least one embassy. This definite-article Irish form travels with it everywhere, though the dictionaries print the possessive form Go n-éirí do bhóthar leat instead.
The full verse blessing that begins with this line (wind at your back, sun on your face) has its own record: Go n-éirí an bóthar leat: the six lines from the road to the palm of God’s hand.
Provenance
Where this wording comes from. We publish nothing we cannot point at.
A widely used form. Earliest print attestation unclear; cited here to Bitesize Irish: bitesize.irish: the page tells you exactly what kind of shelf its source sits on.
- Published useBitesize Irish: bitesize.irishHow to say An Irish Blessing in Irish — Bitesize Irishprints "Go n-éirí an bóthar leat" as the blessing's first line, with pronunciation
Where this belongs
Related sayings
- Go n-éirí do bhóthar leatMay your journey go well.
- Go n-éirí an bóthar leat Go raibh an ghaoth go brách ag do chúl Go lonraí an ghrian go te ar d'aghaidh Go dtite an bháisteach go mín ar do pháirceanna Agus go mbuailimid le chéile arís, Go gcoinní Dia i mbos A láimhe thú.May the road rise 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.