The Best Irish Toasts On St. Patrick's Day

Sláinte, dear friends!

The legend has it that St. Patrick, who brought Christianity to Ireland and hunted snakes in his spare time, once ordered Whiskey and, to his dismay, got a glass that wasn’t quite full. He told the barman he had a devil locked up in his cellar, and that the demon thrived on the dishonesty of men. The barkeeper immediately topped Patrick’s glass, while the saint declared Whiskey is to be enjoyed on his holiday.

Here’s how you honor St. Patrick: put a shamrock in your Whiskey, say a toast, throw the shamrock over your left shoulder, and down the Spirit. Then, wait for fortune to arrive. Do keep in mind that you have a 1:10.000 chance of finding a four-leaf shamrock, though.

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The ritual of wishing each other nice things before having a drink has been around for quite some time. The most popular theory is that it started in the Middle Ages when men in tights wanted to avoid getting poisoned by clinking their glasses so hard, the drink would spill to the adversary’s glass. The truth is the Hebrews and Egyptians did it; so did the Persians, Greeks, Romans, Saxons, and Huns. And, of course, the Irish. And why even toast? It’s supposed to bring good luck and keep demons at bay - and simply because it’s fun.

Now, we opened this video with a lovely-sounding word: “Sláinte”. It means ‘health’ in Gaelic and it’s a drinking toast in Ireland, Scotland, and The Isle of Man. You’re supposed to answer with a “Sláinte agatsa”, which means “to your health as well”.

But the Irish are known for having poetry etched into their DNA, so one word just won’t do. Some of the Irish toasts are so creative, they’re fun to read even when there’s no booze involved.

Let’s put some Irish Whiskey in your glass and turn you into a pro toastmaster!

The best way to say a toast, however, is by telling a short story. Let them earn that drink.

The main idea behind Irish toasts is basically living a long and healthy life, finding a great partner, and hanging out with friends.

It doesn’t matter which one you choose, as long as it’s kind and scares away bad spirits. If you have your own go-to toast, do share it with us in the comments, and remember: Wherever you go and whatever you do, may the luck of the Irish be there with you!