Always wondered how do you say Merry Christmas in Irish? In this guide I’m going to share with you how to say Merry Christmas in Irish and also a few other seasonal and festive sayings, greetings and responses that might come in handy.
How to say Merry Christmas in Irish and other useful Irish Christmas greetings
How to say Merry Christmas in Irish
Merry Christmas in Gaelic Irish is Nollaig Shona, pronounced: null-ig hunna.
However, you will more often hear Nollaig shona duit/daoibh, pronounced: null-ig hunna ditch/d-eve, meaning Merry Christmas to you/you (plural). The duit can be pronounced as ditch or gwitch depending on what part of the country you are in and the accent in the area. And the daoibh can be pronounced d-eve or d-weeve.
If you are wondering how to say Happy Christmas in Irish, it is the same term, Nollaig shona duit.
How to you say Happy New Year in Irish
Happy New Year in Irish is Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit/daoibh, pronounced: Ah-vlee-an fwee washa ditch/d-eve.
Again, you may hear duit as ditch or gwitch, and the daoibh as d-eve or d-weeve.
How to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Irish
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Irish is
Nollaig shona agus Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit/doaibh
pronounced: null-ig hunna ag-us Ah-vlee-an fwee washa ditch-d-eve.
It can sometimes be shortened to Nollaig shona agus Bliain úr faoi mhaise duit, pronounced: Null-ig hunna ag-us blee-an ur fwee washa ditch.
How to say thank you in Irish
Thank you in Irish is Go raibh maith agat, pronounced: gu rev mha ag-ut. You can use this to say thank you if you receive any of the above greetings.
You could say “Same to you” which in Irish is agus leat féin, pronounced: ag-us lat feign (pronouncing lat like cat)
How do you say cheers in Irish
Another saying that will come in handy over the festive season is the word for Cheers, which in Irish is Slainte, pronounced: slawn-tcha.
Other Christmas sayings and Christmas greetings in Irish
Other terms or sayings you might hear around Christmas time in Ireland are:
- Oíche Nollag, meaning Christmas Eve/Night, pronounced: E-ha null-ag.
- Lá Nollag, meaning Christmas Day, pronounced: Law null-ag.
- Beannachtaí na Nollag, meaning Christmas greeting, pronounced: ban-ach-tea na null-ag.
- Beannachtaí an tSéasúir, meaning Season’s greetings, pronounced: ban-ach-tea an t-hay-shure.
- Bíodh Nollaig mhaith agaibh, meaning have a good Christmas, pronounced: Bee-ack Null-ig mha a-gwiv (also pronounced bee-ach null-ig vha ag-wiv).
Conclusion
Now that you know how to say Merry Christmas in Irish, I hope you will be greeting everyone this way over the festive season and signing all your cards with Nollaig Shona Duit!
Read more about Christmas in Ireland:
- Best Christmas Light Displays in Ireland
- Best Christmas Markets in Ireland
- Irish Christmas Traditions
- Traditional Irish Christmas Dinner
- Irish Christmas Sayings and Blessings
- Where to Buy Your Real Christmas Tree in Ireland
- Best Christmas Events in Ireland
- Best Santa Trains in Ireland
- Best Christmas Sleepovers With Santa
- Best Christmas Pantomimes in Ireland
My birthday is on Christmas Day and my brother’s is on Christmas Eve. We always baked a Fruit Cake and a few day’s before Christmas, we covered it with almond paste and a day later, cover it with Royal Icing. I still made that cake for over 50 years but no longer am able to do that.