Paidir Ghaelach ~ A Gaelic Prayer

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Narration: Michael McGowan, Violin: Kristin McGowan

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As the rain hides the stars,

As the autumn mist hides the hills,

As the clouds veil the blue of the sky,

So the dark happenings of my lot hide the shining of thy face from me.

Yet, if I may hold thy hand in the darkness, it is enough,

Since I know that though I may stumble in my going,

Thou dost not fall.

Amen ~ Áiméan

May God's peace be with you ~ Go raibh síocháin Dé leat

 

About this Prayer

Paidir Ghaelach ("A Gaelic Prayer") belongs to the ancient tradition of Gaelic prayer that has been cherished for centuries throughout Ireland and Scotland. Unlike prayers preserved in a single manuscript, this type of prayer lived in the hearts and voices of generations of Gaelic people, carried from one generation to the next through homes, villages, and communities.

The Gaelic tradition has always recognized God's presence in every part of life—in the rising of the sun, the work of our hands, the journeys we take, and the people we love. These prayers often express a quiet trust in God's protection and a desire to walk through each day beneath His blessing.

Paidir Ghaelach reminds us of a time when faith was woven deeply into everyday life, when prayer was not only spoken in churches and monasteries, but also beside the hearth, along country roads, and across the landscapes of the Gaelic world. It is a prayer of belonging—connecting us with the generations who looked to God with the same hopes, fears, gratitude, and trust that we carry today.