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You are here: Home / Irishisms / Blessings / Donegal Sunsets

Donegal Sunsets

September 20, 2014 by Irish American Mom 12 Comments

As the sun sets, magic spreads across the world.  But according to Oscar Wilde, my obsession with sunsets is very old fashioned, and a sign that I may even be a bit of a stick-in-the-mud.

Oscar Wilde quote about sunsets

Oscar Wilde believed we don’t value sunsets because we don’t have to pay for them.  No matter how “unfashionable” it may be, I will always love sunsets and twilight. 

When my brother-in-law sent me his photos of the setting sun in Donegal, I was absolutely ecstatic. He shot these photos outside his own front door, looking across the River Swilly near Letterkenny.

A big thank you to my resident Donegal photographer for these beautiful shots.

Here’s one of my favorite Irish blessings to accompany these images.

 

“May your joys be as bright as the morning,

and your sorrows merely be shadows

that fade in the sunlight of love.

May you have enough happiness to keep you sweet,

Enough trials to keep you strong,

Enough sorrow to keep you human,

Enough hope to keep you happy,

Enough failure to keep you humble,

Enough success to keep you eager,

Enough friends to give you comfort,

Enough faith and courage in yourself to banish sadness,

Enough wealth to meet your needs,

and one thing more;

Enough determination to make each day

a more wonderful day than the one before.”

 

Here are these lovely words from Ireland again accompanied by photos of Irish sunsets….

As the sun goes down

May your joys be as bright as the morning,

 

Sunset near Letterkenny, Donegal

and your sorrows merely be shadows

that fade in the sunlight of love.

 

Donegal Sunset

May you have enough happiness to keep you sweet,

 

Golden skies

Enough trials to keep you strong,

 

Cloudy sunset

Enough sorrow to keep you human,

 

Golden summer sky in Ireland

Enough hope to keep you happy,

 

Irish Sky at Twilight

Enough failure to keep you humble,

 

Irish Sunset

Enough success to keep you eager,

 

Mackrel Sky in Ireland

Enough friends to give you comfort,

 

Sunset in Ireland

Enough faith and courage in yourself to banish sadness,

 

The setting sun

Enough wealth to meet your needs,

 

As the sun sets in Ireland

and one thing more;

 

Watch the sun go down in Donegal

Enough determination to make each day

a more wonderful day than the one before.

–  Irish Blessing

 

Somehow, I think if Oscar Wilde was with us today, he too might choose to be “unfashionable” and would love these sunsets too.

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

Irish American Mom

Check out many more Irish blessings here

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Filed Under: Blessings, Irishisms Tagged With: Blessings, Images of Ireland, ireland, Irishisms, Oscar Wilde, Sunsets

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Comments

  1. Pat Fordyce says

    September 20, 2014 at 11:36 am

    Breath taking photos, and the beautiful words to go with them. Made my day!

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      September 20, 2014 at 12:43 pm

      So glad you liked these, Pat. Have a lovely weekend.
      Mairéad

      Reply
  2. Arlette says

    September 20, 2014 at 12:09 pm

    Beautiful, thank you for sharing 😀

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      September 20, 2014 at 12:45 pm

      Thanks, Arlette. I love these shots too.
      All the best,
      Mairéad

      Reply
  3. Patricia says

    September 20, 2014 at 1:33 pm

    Hooray for being out of fashion, Mairead !

    I don’t know which is more beautiful, the photos of that glorious sunset, or the words of the blessing! Luckily, we do not have to choose. Thank you for sharing them, I hope your have many sunsets like this in your life!

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      September 21, 2014 at 4:55 pm

      I love that blessing too, Patricia. There is such wisdom to be found in the words of our ancestors.
      All the best,
      Mairead

      Reply
  4. Cuisine Kathleen says

    September 20, 2014 at 2:21 pm

    Beautiful! My son had his first trip to Ireland, a golf trip. Near Kerry

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      September 21, 2014 at 4:59 pm

      Kathleen – I hope your son had a wonderful trip to Kerry. The golf courses there are magnificent. I don’t play golf, but some of the Kerry courses are In the most beautiful settings in Ireland.
      Best wishes,
      Mairead

      Reply
  5. Noreen Rafferty says

    September 20, 2014 at 7:03 pm

    Just another wonderful post and poem from one of my favorite bloggers!

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      September 21, 2014 at 4:56 pm

      Thanks, Noreen. Glad you enjoyed this one.
      Mairead

      Reply
  6. Cheryl Barker says

    September 24, 2014 at 10:34 am

    Count me among the unfashionable. I’d love to live somewhere with a clear view of sunsets. We’re in the middle of town and don’t get to see this kind of gorgeousness unless we’re out and about somewhere else. Love seeing the glory of God through a sunset!

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      September 24, 2014 at 5:38 pm

      Cheryl – The glory of God is truly evident in the beauty of the setting sun. I too wish I could watch more sunsets than I do, but I think I appreciate the one’s I do get to see a little bit more, simply because I do not often have the time to sit back and enjoy the sun’s daily show.
      Best wishes,
      Mairéad

      Reply

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