St. Patrick's Day Messages and Wishes, at Home or Abroad
St. Patrick's Day is Ireland's national holiday and the feast day of its patron saint, and Irish families keep it wherever they live. The best messages for it are short, warm and about the person you're writing to. Below are messages for family, a partner, friends and coworkers, for someone far from Ireland or far from home, and for someone having a hard year, each with a Copy button. Choose one and change a detail so it sounds like you.
St. Patrick's Day 2027 is on Wednesday, March 17, 2027.
42 messages to copy: cards, the greeting in Irish, family, a partner, friends, work, family abroad, a hard year, and short texts.
When is St. Patrick's Day?
St. Patrick's Day is March 17 every year, the date traditionally given for the death of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, in the fifth century. It became an official Christian feast day in the early 1600s and is kept by the Catholic Church, the Church of Ireland and other churches. It's also a celebration of Irish heritage and culture, with parades, festivals and céilithe, gatherings with traditional music and dancing.
In Ireland it's a public holiday, so most businesses and schools close. In Northern Ireland it's a bank holiday, and when March 17 falls on a weekend, a substitute weekday becomes the bank holiday, normally the Monday after. Ireland has no automatic Monday off in that case; employees who qualify get the holiday in another way, such as an extra day of annual leave, an extra day's pay, or a paid day off within a month. The day is also a public holiday in Montserrat, and in Newfoundland and Labrador for provincial government employees. Elsewhere, including the United States, Great Britain and Australia, it isn't a public holiday, but it is widely celebrated, especially where many people have Irish roots.
St. Patrick's Day 2027
- St. Patrick's Day
- Wednesday, March 17, 2027
A public holiday in Ireland and a bank holiday in Northern Ireland.
St. Patrick's Day 2028
- St. Patrick's Day
- Friday, March 17, 2028
A public holiday in Ireland and a bank holiday in Northern Ireland, so a long weekend there.
Irish greetings people use
Happy St. Patrick's Day is right for anyone, anywhere. These are the greetings people use, in English and in Irish:
- Happy St. Patrick's Day. The everyday greeting, for a card, a text or the office.
- Happy Paddy's Day. The relaxed short form, fine between friends and family. It's Paddy with two d's, from Pádraig, the Irish form of Patrick. Patty is short for Patricia, which is why St. Patty's Day grates on some Irish people.
- Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit (law ay-luh paw-drig sun-uh ditch). Happy St. Patrick's Day in Irish, to one person. Lá Fhéile Pádraig is the Irish name for the day, sona means happy, and duit means to you.
- Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh (the same, ending sun-uh deev). The greeting to more than one person: a couple, a family, a whole team.
- Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig (ban-acty na fay-la pad-rig). St. Patrick's Day greetings, or blessings, the plainest way to say it in Irish. It sits well at the top of a card.
- Lá Fhéile Pádraig faoi mhaise duit (ending fwee washa ditch). A blessed St. Patrick's Day to you.
The pronunciations are only approximate, so if you can, listen to an Irish speaker say them first. Copy the spelling exactly, accents included: Pádraig, not Padraig. The weeks before the day are a good time to try: Seachtain na Gaeilge, the Irish language festival that Conradh na Gaeilge runs, lasts from March 1 until St. Patrick's Day.
What to write in a St. Patrick's Day card
A St. Patrick's Day card doesn't need to be long. Three parts are plenty:
- 1.The greeting. Happy St. Patrick's Day, or the Irish if they would enjoy it. Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig works well as the first line.
- 2.Something true about them. The county their family comes from, the parade you watched together, the aunt who taught them a tune. One real detail says more than a paragraph of wishes.
- 3.A line that looks ahead. A call on the day, a visit in the summer, a plan for next March.
If you'd like to add a traditional Irish blessing, quote it as a blessing and keep it short. The best known begins "May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back." (traditional). Nobody knows who first wrote it, and it was first said in Irish: go n-éirí an bóthar leat, which means something closer to may you succeed on the road. Put your own words beneath it, so the card still sounds like you.
For grandparents in Ireland
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig, Granny and Grandad. I can picture you both in your usual spot by the church railings, waiting for the band to come round the corner. The children have been practicing Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh all week and want to say it to you on the phone themselves, so please act surprised.
For a friend in their first year living in Ireland
Happy St. Patrick's Day from your old street. This is your first one living in Ireland, and I want a full report: the parade, the weather, whether anyone at work wore a sprig of shamrock, and how many times you had to explain where you're from. We miss you here.
For a teacher of Irish dance or music
Happy St. Patrick's Day, and thank you. All year you've been patient with a hall full of beginners, my two among them, and this week they'll dance in the parade without once looking down at their feet. They talk about your classes at dinner most nights.
From a friend who isn't Irish
Happy St. Patrick's Day. I've learned more about Ireland from you than from any book: the county your mother comes from, the songs your family sings at the end of the night, and the right way to say Pádraig. Thank you for sharing all of it. Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit.
For your family
In many families, St. Patrick's Day is when the family story comes out: the grandparents who left, the county on an old birth certificate, the song someone always sang at the end of the night. A message that names one of those people or places means more than a general wish. For an older relative, a card that arrives before the 17th and a phone call on the day are the best combination.
If you're writing to children or grandchildren, tell them a little about where the family comes from. They may not ask, but they will remember.
For your parents
Happy St. Patrick's Day, Mom and Dad. I still have the badge you pinned on my coat for the school parade, the one with the harp on it. Thank you for all the Marches you made special without any fuss.
For a grandparent who came from Ireland
Happy St. Patrick's Day, Grandma. Every year on the 17th I think of you telling us about the farm in Mayo and the boat you took when you were nineteen. Thank you for keeping those stories for us. I'll call you in the afternoon.
For a grandchild
Happy St. Patrick's Day, sweetheart. Your great-grandfather Patrick was born in Cork, so today belongs to you a little bit too. Next time you visit, I'll show you the photo of him in his Sunday suit.
For a brother or sister
Happy Paddy's Day to my favorite person to stand next to at a parade. Remember the year it rained so hard the floats gave up halfway? We stayed until the last band anyway.
For the family group chat
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh, everyone. Dinner at ours at six, Aunt Siobhan is bringing the brown bread, and yes, Grandad is still singing his one song after dessert.
For a cousin who keeps the family history
Happy St. Patrick's Day to the cousin who found our great-great-grandmother's name in the parish records. Because of you, we know which townland she came from. That's a bigger gift to this family than you probably realize.
For your partner
St. Patrick's Day isn't a romantic holiday, so a message to a partner can be easy: a plan for the day, a memory of a trip, a thank-you for something from this week. If your partner is Irish and you aren't, learning to say Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit properly is a small effort they will notice. If you're the Irish one, a few lines about what the day means to you can tell them something they didn't know.
For a partner who is Irish
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit. I practiced that in the car for a week, so I hope it came out right. Thank you for bringing your family, your music and your home county into my life. Happy St. Patrick's Day, love.
A plan for the day
Happy St. Patrick's Day. Here's my plan: the parade in the morning, a long walk after, and dinner somewhere quiet with just the two of us. You choose the place, and I'll wear the green scarf you keep saying suits me.
Remembering a trip together
Happy St. Patrick's Day. I keep thinking about our week in Galway, the rain over the bay and the old man in the corner who taught us the words to a song neither of us could pronounce. Can we go back?
For a partner who misses home
I know today is the day you miss home the most. I can't give you Dublin, but I found a céilí across town, and your mam is expecting a video call from us after it. Happy St. Patrick's Day, love.
For friends
Friends usually mark the day with plans: a parade, a céilí, a match on television, a meal at someone's house. Your message can be the invitation, the thank-you the next morning, or a note to the friend who couldn't come. Write to an Irish friend the way you'd write on their birthday, in your own voice, rather than the way a novelty card would.
Inviting friends to the parade
Happy St. Patrick's Day, all. We're meeting at the corner of Main and Fifth at ten to get a good spot for the parade, then back to ours for lunch. Bring the kids, bring a folding chair, and bring a coat in case it rains.
Thanking a friend who hosted
Thank you for last night. The music went on far longer than planned, your sister can really play the fiddle, and I finally got through a set dance without stepping on anyone. Happy St. Patrick's Day, and thank you for having us.
For a close friend who is Irish
Happy St. Patrick's Day to the friend who showed me there's far more to this day than a parade. Thinking of you and your family, here and back home.
For a friend who is home sick
Sorry you're missing the parade this year. We'll save you a spot on the curb and a slice of whatever cake your mother sends over. Happy St. Patrick's Day, and rest up.
For a friend learning Irish
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit. You've been studying all year, so I thought you deserved a greeting in Irish, even if I had to copy it letter by letter. Keep going. I'm impressed.
For coworkers and clients
At work, a short Happy St. Patrick's Day is all you need. If you have colleagues or clients in Ireland or Northern Ireland, remember that the day is a holiday there and most offices close, so send your greeting the day before or in a message earlier that week, and don't expect replies on the 17th.
A colleague who moved from Ireland may be spending the day far from family, and a quick message from you may be the only one they get at work. Don't ask them to explain the holiday to the office or to be the team's entertainment for it.
For a coworker
Happy St. Patrick's Day. I hope you make it to the parade, or at least out of the office for a long lunch.
For colleagues in Ireland, the day before
Wishing you all a happy St. Patrick's Day tomorrow. I know the office will be closed, so nothing from us needs an answer until you're back. Enjoy the day.
For a client in Ireland
Happy St. Patrick's Day to you and the whole team in Dublin. Thank you for a good start to our work together this year. I hope the day gives you a proper break, and I'll be in touch later in the week.
For an Irish colleague working abroad
Happy St. Patrick's Day. It can't be easy spending it at a desk so far from home. If you'd like company at the céilí after work, count me in.
From a manager to the team
Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone. If you're heading to the parade, feel free to leave early this afternoon. To all of you, thank you for the work you've put in since January.
For someone far away
Many Irish people live abroad, and St. Patrick's Day is often when they miss home most. If you're in Ireland writing to a son, daughter, brother, sister or friend who emigrated, tell them something small from home: who was at the parade, what the weather did, which neighbor asked after them. If you're the one abroad, a message home on the day means a great deal to parents and grandparents. Mind the time difference: a call from Ireland at breakfast reaches much of North America in the middle of the night and eastern Australia in the evening.
The day also belongs to the Irish diaspora, people whose families left Ireland generations ago and still keep the connection, in Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and beyond. When you write to them, the name of the family's county or the relative who emigrated beats anything generic. For more words for someone you miss, see miss you messages.
From a parent in Ireland to a child abroad
Happy St. Patrick's Day, love. The parade went past the house at eleven and your father stood at the gate the whole time, telling anyone who'd listen that his daughter lives in Toronto now. We're so proud of you. Ring us when you wake up.
From abroad to a parent in Ireland
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit, Mam. It's very quiet here this morning, no band, no bunting, and not many people who know what today is. I'll be thinking of you at the parade all the same. Keep a seat for me in the summer.
For a brother or sister who emigrated
Happy St. Patrick's Day to my brother in Sydney, already finished with the day while we're only starting ours. Send us pictures of how Sydney marked it, and call Mam.
For cousins with Irish roots abroad
Happy St. Patrick's Day to our cousins in Boston, from the family in Kerry. We still talk about your visit and the afternoon we spent finding your great-grandmother's house down the lane. The door is always open whenever you come back.
For someone who can't get home this year
I know you were hoping to be home for the 17th this year and it didn't work out. Happy St. Patrick's Day all the same. We'll put you on speaker at dinner so you can hear everyone talking over each other.
For a student away from home
Happy St. Patrick's Day from all of us. There's a parcel on its way with a few things from home and a card from your grandmother, who insisted on writing it in Irish. Your Irish teacher can help if you get stuck.
For someone who is grieving
A first St. Patrick's Day after a death can hurt, especially when the person who died was the one who made the day: the grandfather who never missed the parade, the mother who pinned shamrock on everyone before church. Use their name, share a memory if you have one, and don't ask anyone to be cheerful for the day.
Sorry for your trouble, the phrase said again and again at Irish funerals, asks nothing of the person grieving, and it works in writing too. If the family would value Irish, Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam means may he rest in peace; for a woman, it ends a hanam. There are more ways to say it in our condolence messages.
The first St. Patrick's Day without a parent
I'm thinking of you today, the first St. Patrick's Day without your dad. I keep picturing him at the front of the crowd, singing along with every band that passed, whether he knew the words or not. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. Call me any time today.
For someone who lost a grandmother
Sorry for your trouble. I know your nan always made today special, from the shamrock on everyone's coat to the long phone calls with the family back home. I hope you find a little of her in the day, and I'm here if you want to talk.
An offer of company on the day
No need to reply to this. If you'd rather not be alone on the 17th, I can come over in the afternoon, or we can skip the parade and go for a long walk instead. Whatever suits you.
When the day is hard for another reason
I know this year has been hard, and a day full of parades and noise may not be what you want right now. Thinking of you, and here whenever you feel like company.
Short texts for St. Patrick's Day
For a text on the morning of the 17th, a line in the family group chat, or a quick note to a friend at the parade. Each one works as it is.
The simplest one
Happy St. Patrick's Day. I'm thinking of you today.
In Irish, to one person
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit. I hope the day is a good one.
In Irish, to the group chat
Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh, everyone. Send pictures from the parade.
For a friend at the parade
Happy Paddy's Day. Wave at the bands for me, and keep me a spot for next year.
For someone named Patrick
Happy St. Patrick's Day to my favorite Patrick. Half the world is saying your name today.
For someone far from home
Happy St. Patrick's Day from home. Everyone at the parade was asking for you.
A line for the top of a card
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig. With love from all of us.
A day late
Sorry this is a day late. Happy St. Patrick's Day, and I hope yesterday was a good one.
Other days around this time of year: International Women's Day on March 8, Nowruz at the March equinox, and Easter. Every other date is in the holiday calendar.
What to leave out
St. Patrick's Day comes with a set of jokes that Irish people have heard far too many times. In a message to someone you know, leave out:
- Drinking jokes. The day is a national holiday and a religious feast. A joke about drink shrinks it to a stereotype.
- Leprechauns, pots of gold and the luck of the Irish. They belong on novelty cards, not in a note to a friend.
- Stage-Irish spellings like top o' the morning, and any attempt to write in an accent.
- St. Patty's Day. It's Paddy, from Pádraig.
Green clothes and a sprig of shamrock are a real part of the day, so those are fine. Legend says Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity.
Keep the dates of the people you'd call on the 17th
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