The Art of the Vintage Irish Blessing

A good Irish blessing is a comfortable friend, wisdom combined with wit and charm. There’s a blessing for every occasion, both the special ones and the unexpected ones. With St. Patrick’s day around the corner, we took a spin around the vintage section of Etsy to survey the myriad kinds of vintage Irish blessings for you and for your home.

This is a worldly-wise Irish blessing; one that I think most of us can wholeheartedly endorse. It’s the kind of blessing built from an unpleasant life experience. The linen tea towel is bright and cheerful and includes a boatload of Irish iconic images.

What a comforting and heartfelt sentiment on this vintage mug. What a good way to get your head into the right space to start your day when combined with an appropriate amount of caffeine. This would make an awesome graduation gift.

A lovely Irish linen towel from Ulster Weavers with an equally lovely sentiment. The pretty Celtic border, the illuminated letters, and the simple brown illustration on the linen background all make this a perfect tea towel to hang on the wall. Or to use for sure, and appreciate with every glass you dry.

While not a blessing, this is an attestation on the power of words well chosen. We should all be blessed to be THIS articulate when our instant reflex instinct is a volcano of hot words and perhaps the flashing of single digits.

A toast is a blessing offered with the sound of clinking glasses. And what a toast this is. Who doesn’t want food and warm clothes? Who doesn’t want a soft pillow? And who doesn’t want to be safely floating amongst the clouds long before the devil starts looking for you?

This 1980s porcelain trinket box checks lots of boxes for gift giving. First, it’s delightful for music lovers. Second, it’s got comforting thoughts of a home with a roof over it and people you love within it. Third, it would be absolutely smashing as a housewarming gift.

We’ll end with the granddaddy of the Irish blessings. Truly, it’s composed of the simplest of kind wishes, piled upon more kind wishes. It’s all humble thoughts, but how richly comforting each of those thoughts is. There’s a reason this is the most ubiquitous of sentiments attributed to Ireland. No matter how rich you are or aren’t, no matter what your station in life, everything in this blessing is something we all wish for ourselves and for our friends.

Enjoy your St. Patrick’s Day responsibly, celebrate with good humor and don’t forget to bless yourself and your friends, Irish style.