A funny Irish saying to ward off your enemies

The Irish think of everything, which is why in addition to lovely Irish blessings and prayers for health, love, happiness, and luck, there are also some great Irish sayings for when you're in the thick of it. 

Haters got you down? This old Irish saying about enemies will bring a smile to your face. It's about hoping that those who feel no love for you will have a change of heart, or at the very least show themselves for who they are. 

The full version reads: 

May those who love us, love us. 

And those that don't love us, 

May God turn their hearts.

And if He doesn't turn their hearts, 

May he turn their ankles, 

So we'll know them by their limping. 

Irish blessings

Anyone who's attended an Irish wedding or funeral will know that Irish blessings are a staple of Irish celebrations. During a powerful emotional moment, it's so great to have these nuggets, albeit often irreverent to fall back on to sum up feelings in a speech. 

For the most part, of course, Irish blessings are closely connected to religion right back to the days of St. Patrick. What better way to channel your faith and share it with others that by sharing a traditional Irish blessing.

Then there's that famous Irish wit! We just can't let things go. Whether it was sharp tongue folks like Oscar Wilde or Brendan Behan the Irish just can't resist a joke and of course loving irreverence along came these less religious "blessings". 

We love it! 

An Irish curse

Ancient Irish curses were a form of magic that was commonly used in Ireland in the past. They were a way of seeking revenge or bringing harm upon an enemy and were often performed by the Druids, who were the priests of the ancient Irish people.

Curses were often performed in secret and were meant to bring bad luck, illness, or even death to the intended victim. They were sometimes inscribed on stones, pots, or other objects and were meant to be buried in a place where the victim would walk over them, thus bringing the curse to life.

One of the most famous curses in ancient Ireland was the "curse of the standing stones." This curse was placed upon anyone who disturbed the standing stones, which were sacred monuments that dotted the Irish landscape. The curse was meant to bring misfortune and death to anyone who dared to move the stones.

Another famous curse was the "curse of the bards." The bards were the ancient Irish poets who used their gifts to praise or curse their enemies. They would recite a curse in public, which was meant to bring harm to the person it was directed at. These curses were often very elaborate and contained many rhyming lines and allusions to mythological figures.

Despite their fearsome reputation, curses in ancient Ireland were not always used for evil purposes. They could also be used to bring good luck or to ward off evil spirits. For example, it was common for people to hang charms around their necks or to inscribe blessings on their homes to protect themselves from evil spirits.

*Originally published in April 2022. Updated in April 2023.