Irish New Baby Gift Blessings
For a christening card or a nursery print the short blessings work best; for a message to the parents, the proverbs usually land harder. Irish keeps a special optimism about how children turn out, and it is encouraging without being sentimental. Which wears better on a wall than sentiment does.
One caution that matters more here than anywhere: the child’s blessings change form with the child. A wording checked for one name may be wrong for another, and the difference is grammar, not style. Check the record and its source before anything is stitched, printed or engraved.
4 sayings each with its source, and its job
- Go saolaí Dia éMay God grant him a long life.The plainest child’s blessing: as printed it is said of a boy; the wording changes with the child, so check before it is engraved.See it as a print
- Go maire tú an céadMay you live to be a hundred.May you live to be a hundred. The century blessing, equally at home at a christening and a birthday.See it as a print
- Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh síPraise the young and they will flourish.Praise the young and they will flourish. Genuine advice about raising someone, fit for a nursery wall.See it as a print
- Is minic a rinne bromach gioblach capall cumasachMany a ragged colt made a fine horse.Often a ragged colt made a fine horse. For the parents, about patience, with a horse in it.See it as a print
Not the occasion you meant? Start from the chooser: or browse every sourced saying.