The Ash (Nion in Gaelic) can grow to great heights (200 feet or more). To sustain that height, an Ash tree must have a massive root system. To the Celts, the tree is/was related to the need to be well grounded in order to seek spiritual enlightenment. Wood from the ash burns with great intensity helping Celts in a variety of ways. Its massive size is comforting in a certain sense and may be why the Ash is a symbol of protection…especially for children.
The N for Nion (Ash) in Ogham script appears in the accompanying illustration. As we work our way through the 20 letters in the Ogham alphabet, one gets a sense of how these characters are linked to the trees they are associated with. When a reference to the Ash appears in a story for instance, one might expect a need for protection to arise in subsequent sections of the story.
The Willow (Sail) is a tree of consequence to Celts. To them, the ever shifting branches gives/gave the willow quite different qualities than other trees. Such shifting patterns suggest change and difference. Thus, Sail is/was associated with imagination and thought to enhance psychic properties.
The willow or Sail is associated with the English letter “S” in Ogham script. It bears the characteristics noted above and is shown in the accompanying graphic.
The Elder (Ruis) is a useful tree. Its blossoms tend to ward off insects and various aspects of the tree can be used medicinally. Thus, the Elder became associated with renewal, rebirth, and death.
The Ogham sign associated with the Ruis (Elder) appears below. It translates as an “R” in the English alphabet.
The Luis (Mountain Ash) with its crisp spring flowers and 5 pointed star at its base is/was of considerable symbolic value to the Celts. Sacred objects were formed from its wood and used in various rituals. The tree represents a connection to the hereafter and is linked to protection and connection.
The Ogham letter L was linked to this tree. Luis is the Ogham word for Rowan.
Straif or Blackthorn was a sign of challenge or difficulty to the Celts. The thorns on the bush make it very difficult to pass through which may have led to the Blackthorn being associated with challenge and its counter part discipline/control (the best way to meet a serious challenge is with preparation, discipline, and control). At the same time, the Blackthorn’s berries are sweet but sweetest after a hard frost…suggesting that if you persist when challenged, the outcome will be worth it.
The Ogham symbol for Straif (Blackthorn) and translates as a “St” in the English alphabet
Holly (Tinne) with its bright red berries was thought to rule winter as the Oak ruled summer. It was used to decorate ones home for protection and as a reminder to put your best foot forward.
Holly (Tinne) was the bush associated with T in our alphabet. As we noted earlier, to the Celts the symbol associated with Holly was more than a mere letter, the symbol carried with it the properties of Holly associated with it. In this way, Celts communicated on two levels…the level of the message and a meta level having to do with properties of the tree associated with the symbol. It is thought that Druids for instance used the first letter of a message to convey the meta message so a message beginning with T might have to do with protection at the meta level.
Heather (Ur) was associated with romance, dreams and feelings for the Celts. Perhaps, it’s use in making mead (a pretty strong alcoholic drink) helped in making this association. Brides in the highlands still wear heather blooms. The plant was also used to make brooms and intestinal medicine. Thus, it had an association with cleaning as well.
The Ogham symbol for Heather (Ur) translates as a “U” in English.
Reeds (nGeatal) were very useful in Celt society. They were woven to make watertight roofing (lasting as long as 10 years), laid down as mats, used as candles, and so forth. The reed was associated with protection and harmony. It may seem odd to think of reeds as trees but Celts treated any plant with a woody stalk as a tree. Reeds were also larger in those days than they are now.
The Ogham symbol for reed has no direct single letter counterpart in the English alphabet. The closest English equivalent is the NG combination.
Ogham script, represented by the lines and slashes in the accompanying graphic, correspond to the English letters directly beside the Ogham lines and slashes. Naturally, the letters do not appear in actual Ogham script. Scholars determined that the various lines corresponded to the various letters when they set about translating the Ogham scripts found in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Ogham script was used to inscribe names on tombs, ceremonial sites, and so forth.
Most Ogham script inscriptions that have survived over the ages are etched in stone but, undoubtedly, were carved into wood as well. The Celts thought trees were links to the netherworld with their great heights and roots that penetrated so far into the soil. It may be because of these beliefs that Ogham script was linked to various types of trees. The B for instance is related to the Birch tree, A is linked to the ash, and so forth. These trees have unique properties/meanings that are conveyed along with the literal letter (sort of like a message within a message). The birch tree for instance stands for, among other things, new beginnings.
When written, Ogham script uses a solid vertical line with the letters jutting out very much like the trunk and branches of a tree. A typical Ogham script appears in the second graphic accompanying this entry. The word it represents is “Failte” in Gaelic (welcome in English). By comparing the “Failte” script with the alphabet you can work out which lines represent which letter. I think you’ll find the direction of the word somewhat different than you might expect. Have fun!
In subsequent sections of this chapter we present a variety of trees and their properties as well as their Ogham connection.
Druids were held in high regard by the Celts. They held a position in society just below that of Kings/Queens. However, there is considerable discord over the role of the Druids in Celtic society. Some argue they served primarily religious purposes but others suggest their roles involved broader intellectual pursuits.
Unfortunately, the Druids did not detail their role in written form until well after the Christianity had become the religious doctrine of the Celts. Thus, what is said about the Druids in those texts is colored by the adoption of Christian values and beliefs. It can be safely claimed that the Druids played an important role in Celtic life. They most certainly led the religious aspects of the culture and were used to arbitrate disputes…. beyond that it is difficult to determine how far their influence went.
The meaning of the term “Druid” supports the view that they were intellectual leaders as well as religious leaders. Dru is related to “oak” and uid related to “knowledge” (i.e., oak knowledge). A more general interpretation would be “one whose knowledge is great”.
It can be said that the current Druid movements are not based on surviving Druid texts because none exist (the Druids passed on their beliefs orally and refused to put their beliefs in written form to safeguard them from outsiders).
