Irish Toasts
The best thing about Irish toasts is that you don’t need to be Irish to apprehend them. Anyone who is not Irish can, and most of the time will, fully appreciate the Irish sense of fun and maudlin. And don’t forget the taste of the apple sauce that can sometimes seep into Irish toasts as well. In fact all mentioned above is what makes some Irish toasts memorable.
And when we speak about Irish toasts for weddings, there is simply nothing more pleasing. (And don’t forget to keep the champagne flowing!) With so many people wanting to toast the wedding couple (any excuse to chug one down!), you can be sure that the champagne will flow readily and steadily.
For all that however, the Irish are very sentimental and they know how to make the best of such an occasion as a wedding. You can be sure that along with the nose-wipes, smiles will be breaking out. I won’t even mention the absolutely unpronounceable Celtic (Irish), which will put a smile upon your face even if you don’t understand it!
However, this is what makes Irish toasts something special, something to be entreasured, and all that shows that the an old way is not dying, on the contrary it’s growing stronger, and changing into something new, much in the manner of a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.
If you have ever listened to Irish toasts you would have found that quite a few of them begin with the absolutely unpronounceable “Slбinte” (try pronouncing it as: Slaw-in-tche), which means "good health”. The “good” share of this is intended, with the actual “Slбinte” meaning health.
Examples of a few good Irish toasts would sound something like this: “Sláinte”; “Sláinte agus saol agat” meaning Good health and long life to you; “Sláinte chuig na fir, agus go mairfidh na mná go deo” meaning, Health to the men, and may the women live forever!
Those were only a taste of some of common Irish toasts. There are much more other such Irish toasts, and you will find that not all of them include “Slбinte”. For example you probably hear this sometimes: “May your grass always be green, may your skies forever blue, may God bless the Irish, and may God bless you!”
There are many more other great Irish toasts and if there is a need you should be able to find a book containing these great toasts. Otherwise for now, “May the luck of the Irish posses you, may the devil fly off with your worries, and may God bless you forever and ever.”