Wishes
St. Patrick's Day Wishes
St. Patrick's Day falls on Wednesday, March 17, 2027. It's the feast day of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who by tradition died on March 17 sometime in the fifth century. In the US it's grown into a celebration of Irish American heritage that everyone gets to join: parades, green everything, soda bread and corned beef, and a little friendly luck passed around.
Below you'll find St. Patrick's Day wishes for friends, family, kids and coworkers, a handful of funny texts, and traditional Irish blessings that have been said at tables and in cards for generations. Under the list there's a short guide to Irish phrases, card etiquette and how to keep the humor good-natured.
Friends 10
Same corner, same parade, same thermos of coffee as every year? Happy St. Patrick's Day, see you at 10.
Wearing so much green today I look like a lawn. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Friends like you are like four-leaf clovers: hard to find and lucky to have. Happy St. Patrick's Day.
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Hope you find a pot of gold, or at least a parking spot near the parade.
Sláinte! Here's to good health, good friends and a little magic today.
You're the shamrock to my soda bread. Happy St. Patrick's Day, bestie.
Thanks for inviting me to your family's St. Patrick's dinner. I've never felt so welcome. Céad míle fáilte, right back at you.
Green sweater: check. Soda bread: check. Ready for the parade? Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Your first St. Patrick's Day in Dublin! I'm so jealous and so happy for you. Send me a photo from the parade and a full report on the brown bread. Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit!
Happy St. Patrick's Day to my favorite Irish dance mom. Hope the feis went great this morning!
Family 10
Our family's luckiest day is any day we're all at one table. Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone.
Corned beef's in the slow cooker, the Chieftains are on, and you're all invited. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
We might not be Irish, but this family takes green pancakes very seriously. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Grandma, nobody's soda bread will ever beat yours, and nobody tells the story of Great-Grandpa's boat from Cork the way you do. Happy St. Patrick's Day. I'm calling tonight.
Grandpa, Erin go bragh! Thanks for giving us your stories, your songs and that terrible pun habit.
Mom and Dad, you've always been my good luck. Happy St. Patrick's Day.
Happy St. Patrick's Day, sis! Remember when we wore matching shamrock headbands until high school? I still have the photos.
Sláinte, Dad! Your annual "we're 12 percent Irish" speech is my favorite tradition.
Mom, thank you for every green-milk breakfast and shamrock lunchbox note. Happy St. Patrick's Day.
Every St. Patrick's Day I think about how far our family has come. Great-Great-Grandma Bridget left Mayo with one suitcase and a sister's address in Boston, and now there are four generations of us arguing over the last slice of soda bread. I'm so proud of where we come from and so grateful for every one of you. Happy St. Patrick's Day, and here's to the next generation keeping the stories going.
Kids 8
Watch out for leprechauns today. I heard they love tipping over chairs and leaving glitter everywhere.
Did the leprechaun visit your trap last night? I want a full report! Happy St. Patrick's Day.
Wear something green so nobody pinches you! Happy St. Patrick's Day.
You're my lucky charm, every single day. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Keep your eyes peeled for rainbows. You never know what's at the end! Love, Grandma.
Somebody turned the milk green again. I wonder who? Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Sending you a big green hug and a chocolate gold coin. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
A little green hat and a little green shoe, a sneaky small leprechaun's looking for you! He hides in the garden, he skips through the grass, and waits by the flowers for children to pass. So look all around with your eyes open wide: a shiny gold coin might be waiting outside!
Coworkers 9
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Wishing you a lucky week and a great end to the quarter.
Happy St. Patrick's Day! May your inbox be empty and your coffee be strong.
Thanks for the green cupcakes in the break room. You made a Wednesday feel like a holiday.
Feeling lucky to work with a team like this one. Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone.
If a leprechaun offers to finish our slides, I'm saying yes. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Enjoy the parade this weekend! Happy St. Patrick's Day.
Happy St. Patrick's Day. Thank you for a great first quarter and for the green bagels this morning. I hope you have a fun evening with your family.
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Sending a little extra luck for your presentation tomorrow.
Happy St. Patrick's Day! I wanted to send a quick note of thanks for everything you've done this quarter. You stepped in on the Denver account without being asked, you kept the team calm during the system migration, and you somehow still found time to organize the potluck. We're lucky to have you. I hope you get out on time today and enjoy the evening with the people you love.
Irish blessings 13
May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face, and the rains fall soft upon your fields.
May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your face, and the rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
May the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends gathered below never fall out.
May you have all the happiness and luck that life can hold, and at the end of all your rainbows may you find a pot of gold.
For each petal on the shamrock, this brings a wish your way: good health, good luck and happiness for today and every day.
May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, may good luck pursue you each morning and night.
May the Irish hills caress you. May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.
May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.
Céad míle fáilte! A hundred thousand welcomes to you and yours.
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit! Happy St. Patrick's Day to you.
St. Patrick, pray for us. A blessed feast day to you and your family.
Funny 10
I'm wearing green purely as a pinch-prevention strategy.
I'm 0 percent Irish, 100 percent here for the soda bread.
Spent 20 minutes looking for a four-leaf clover. Found a three-leaf one and a receipt from 2019. Close enough.
If you find a pot of gold today, remember who your favorite friend is.
I was going to make an Irish joke, but I didn't want to push my luck.
Bought a leprechaun trap for the kids. Caught the dog. Twice.
Today's forecast: 90 percent chance of green, 10 percent chance of glitter you'll find until June.
You're the only one I'd share my secret stash of chocolate gold coins with. Happy St. Patrick's Day.
They say everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day. My DNA test respectfully disagrees.
My love for you is deep and true, as green as fields with morning dew. You are my luck, my shining star, the greatest treasure found so far. So on this day of green and gold, it's your sweet hand I want to hold.
Short 10
Sending you all the luck in the world today.
Have a green and glorious day!
Sláinte! Happy St. Patrick's Day.
Erin go bragh! Enjoy the parade.
Stay lucky and keep smiling.
Hope your day's full of music and good company.
Much love and luck to you today.
Happy St. Patrick's Day from our house to yours.
Wishing you a little luck and a lot of fun.
Wear green. Avoid pinches. Have fun.
Search all St. Patrick's Day wishes
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How to write your own St. Patrick's Day message
You don't need to be Irish or a poet. A good message has three parts:
- A cheerful opener. "Happy St. Patrick's Day!" or a quick Irish phrase (see below).
- Something about them. The parade you always go to, Grandma's soda bread, the coworker who brought green cupcakes.
- A wish. Luck, a good day, a traditional blessing.
Example for a friend: "Happy St. Patrick's Day! Same spot on Fifth Avenue as every year? I'll bring the coffee. You're the best luck I've got."
Example for family: "Sláinte, Dad! Thanks for teaching us the words to every Clancy Brothers song. Corned beef's on me this year."
Irish phrases you can use
| Phrase | Pronunciation (roughly) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit | law AY-leh PAW-drig SUN-ah ditch | Happy St. Patrick's Day to you |
| Sláinte | SLAWN-cheh | Health; the standard Irish toast, like "cheers" |
| Erin go bragh | AIR-in go BRAH | Ireland forever (an anglicized form of Éire go brách) |
| Céad míle fáilte | kade MEE-leh FAWL-cheh | A hundred thousand welcomes |
A little background
Patrick was born in Roman Britain, taken to Ireland as a teenager by raiders, escaped, and later returned as a missionary. A popular legend says he used the three-leaf shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity, which is why the shamrock, not the four-leaf clover, is the symbol of the day. In Ireland it's a national holiday and a religious feast; Irish immigrants brought the parades to American cities, and today many places add their own touches, like Chicago dyeing its river green.
Etiquette and timing
- Texts and social posts: send them the morning of March 17.
- Cards: mail them about a week ahead, especially to grandparents and relatives far away.
- At work: keep it light and inclusive: luck, spring, green treats in the break room. Skip the drinking jokes.
- Spelling: it's "St. Patrick's Day." If you want a nickname, "St. Paddy's" comes from Pádraig, the Irish form of Patrick; "St. Patty's" makes many Irish people wince.
What to avoid
Leave out the stereotypes: drunk-Irish jokes, fake brogues in writing and "fighting Irish" cracks don't land with people who are proud of their heritage. Not everyone drinks, so with coworkers, kids and anyone whose habits you don't know, focus on luck, family, music and food. And if someone is honoring the day as a religious feast, a blessing or a simple "Happy Feast of St. Patrick" shows you noticed.
St. Patrick's Day wishes: all parts
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Frequently asked questions
What is a good St. Patrick's Day message?
Keep it warm and specific: a wish for luck plus something personal, like "Happy St. Patrick's Day! You've always been my lucky charm." A traditional Irish blessing also works well in a card.
How do you say Happy St. Patrick's Day in Irish?
"Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit" (roughly law AY-leh PAW-drig SUN-ah ditch) means "Happy St. Patrick's Day to you." To toast, say "Sláinte," which means "health."
How do you wish someone a happy St. Patrick's Day professionally?
Something like "Wishing you a happy St. Patrick's Day and a lucky week ahead" is perfect for coworkers or clients. Leave out drinking jokes in workplace messages.
What are some traditional Irish blessings for St. Patrick's Day?
The best known is "May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back." Others include "May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live" and "Céad míle fáilte," a hundred thousand welcomes.
When should I send my St. Patrick's Day wishes?
Send texts and posts on the morning of March 17, which falls on a Wednesday in 2027. Mail cards about a week ahead so they arrive on time.
Is it St. Paddy's or St. Patty's Day?
If you use a nickname, "St. Paddy's" is the one Irish people use, since Paddy comes from Pádraig, the Irish form of Patrick. Patty is usually short for Patricia. The safest choice is the full "St. Patrick's Day."
Can I send St. Patrick's Day messages to people who aren't Irish?
Of course. In the US the holiday is celebrated by people of every background. A cheerful note about luck, green and good company works for anyone.