Merry Christmas in Irish
Nollaig Shona
Say it like this: NULL-ig HUN-uh
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Irish, Merry Christmas is Nollaig Shona, said like NULL-ig HUN-uh.
- Happy New Year is Athbhliain faoi mhaise.
- People say it in Ireland, Northern Ireland.
What Nollaig Shona means
'Nollaig' means Christmas and 'shona' means happy. The first letter of shona changes (from s to sh) because the word comes after Nollaig, a rule in Irish grammar.
Other ways to say it in Irish
Nollaig Shona duit
Say it like this: NULL-ig HUN-uh ditch
Means "Happy Christmas to you", said to one person.
Nollaig Shona daoibh
Say it like this: NULL-ig HUN-uh deev
Means "Happy Christmas to you all", said to a group.
Happy New Year
Athbhliain faoi mhaise
Say it like this: ah-VLEE-in fwee WASH-uh
Happy New Year (a new year in good form)
To write in a Christmas card
Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain faoi Mhaise
Say it like this: NULL-ig HUN-uh AH-gus ah-VLEE-in fwee WASH-uh
Where people speak Irish
IrelandNorthern Ireland
Irish (Gaeilge) belongs to the Celtic (Goidelic, Indo-European) language family.
Hear it from Rally on Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, Rally the corgi rides the Christmas Train around the world. He reaches Dublin at about 12:10 AM local time, and kids learn to say Nollaig Shona as he lands.
Watch Rally arrive in Dublin →Christmas traditions where people speak Irish
- A candle in the window: On Christmas Eve, many Irish families put a candle in the window. It is a welcoming light for Mary and Joseph, a sign that there is room for them, even though there was no room in Bethlehem.[3][4]
- St. Stephen's Day and the Wren Boys: December 26 is St. Stephen's Day, a public holiday in Ireland. In the past, groups of Wren Boys visited homes to collect money for a wren party. Today, many people enjoy sports, walks and visits.[4][3]
- Nollaig na mBan, Women's Christmas: January 6 is Nollaig na mBan, or Women's Christmas, when women traditionally get a day off. Today women often hold parties or go out to meals with their friends and relatives.[5]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Irish
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Celebrate with kids
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- Scottish GaelicNollaig Chridheil
- DanishGlædelig jul
- BosnianSretan Božić
- LatvianPriecīgus Ziemassvētkus
- GermanFrohe Weihnachten
- HungarianBoldog karácsonyt
- IcelandicGleðileg jól
- UkrainianЗ Різдвом!
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Irish?
The Irish way to say Merry Christmas is "Nollaig Shona" (NULL-ig HUN-uh). To wish it to a person, add duit: "Nollaig Shona duit". For a group, add daoibh: "Nollaig Shona daoibh". Many people in Ireland use it even when speaking English.[1][3]
How do you pronounce Nollaig Shona?
Say "NULL-ig HUN-uh". The ll in Nollaig is a firm l, and the ending sounds like ig, a soft ending. In Shona, the sh at the start is an h sound, because of a spelling change in Irish, so it sounds like HUN-uh, not SHONE-uh.[1]
What does Nollaig Shona mean?
Nollaig is the Irish word for Christmas and shona means happy, so the phrase means Happy Christmas. The word Nollaig is a very old word, and it also appears in the name of Nollaig na mBan, Women's Christmas, on January 6. The Irish say Happy Christmas more than Merry.[1][5]
How do you write Nollaig Shona?
Write it as Nollaig Shona, with a capital N and a capital S on cards. The word shona starts with sh because a rule in Irish changes the first letter of the second word. Irish uses the same alphabet as English, with an accent called a fada on long vowels, which this greeting does not need.[1]
How do you say Happy New Year in Irish?
Say "Athbhliain faoi mhaise" (ah-VLEE-in fwee WASH-uh). Cards often read "Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain faoi Mhaise", which means Happy Christmas and Happy New Year. The bhl in athbhliain sounds like a v, and faoi mhaise means in good form.[2]
Is there a formal way to say Merry Christmas in Irish?
Nollaig Shona is friendly and polite. To be more formal or to greet a group, use "Nollaig Shona daoibh", which means Happy Christmas to you all. With a single person, use "Nollaig Shona duit". Irish has no special formal Christmas wish that is used much in daily life.[1]
When do people say Nollaig Shona in Ireland?
People say it in the days before Christmas and on December 25 and 26. It is also common on cards and in shops in December. The Christmas season in Ireland lasts until January 6, which is known as Little Christmas or Nollaig na mBan, so greetings can last that long.[3][5]
Is Christmas Eve or Christmas Day the main celebration in Ireland?
Both are important. On Christmas Eve, families put a candle in the window and visit relatives. Christmas Day is the main day for church, dinner and gifts. December 26, St. Stephen's Day, is also a public holiday, with sports, meetings with friends and old Wren Boys customs.[3][4]
What is a popular Christmas tradition in Ireland?
The candle in the window is a favorite. Families light a tall candle on Christmas Eve to welcome Mary and Joseph, and some leave it to burn all night. Even in the most secular homes, the nativity crib takes center stage next to the Christmas tree.[3][4]
How can I teach kids to say Nollaig Shona?
Say it in two parts: NULL-ig, HUN-uh, and repeat it a few times. Remind kids that Sh sounds like h. Make a paper candle for the window and write Nollaig Shona beside it. Telling the story of the candle makes the phrase easy to remember.[3]
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor by Leslie Dunn. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on AmazonSources
We check every greeting against dictionaries, language institutes and cultural sources.
- merry Christmas (translations), Wiktionary
- happy New Year (translations), Wiktionary
- Christmas in Ireland, WhyChristmas.com
- Christmas in Ireland, Wikipedia
- Little Christmas (Nollaig na mBan), Wikipedia
