Blessing: May you escape the gallows, avoid distress and be as healthy as trout
Curse: May the devil swallow you sideways
The Irish had blessings, toasts and curses for every occasion: hearing the news of a death or marriage, consoling neighbours in sorrow or sharing their joy, looking for a husband or wife, going off to work, saving turf, or having a drink at the end of the day, this book collects all the very best of all three to produce this charming nostalgic volume.
Published by Mercier Press, written by Padraic O'Farrell, 160 pages, hard back
