Firstly, there is little to prove pre-Christian use of Ogham.

In the study of things Celtic, Ogham has probably been the source of more arguements than any other subject. In the authors humble opinion, I blame Robert Graves, or rather the people who choose to take Mr. Graves writings as facts. No, that is not fair, lets just say I disagree with their opinion. (I do however agree with him that `The Battle of Trees` is worthy of a great deal of reseach!)

The main problem with the Ogham is all the different tree associations. Between one author and the next the tree association are never the same, and on top of that some use twenty, some twenty-five. Some are named after the tree, Birch-Beithe, Oak-Duir, etc, while others aren`t. Confused? You will be!

Now some may say, why don`t I just stick to a system that works, even if it is not entirely historically correct. It may be that I am wrong, but at least I have made you think, and that can`t be a bad thing, can it! It is my intention to use this page to put down a definitive list (in my opinion!) of the Ogham and tree associations. Its highly probable that I'll never be able to do this, but it'll be interesting anyway. If you disagree with my opinion, it doesn`t matter, there are another couple of hundred theories you can choose from instead! One of us will get it right eventually.......

I`m not claiming to have any great linguistical knowledge, (so don`t be surprised if you do find a mistake), the main thing I`m armed with is a passion for the subject.

The beauty of the Ogham, as with many systems, is that once we learn the `key` it`s open to your own personal interpretation!

OGHAM TREE ASSOCIATIONS (MY TRANSLATIONS)

NAME	GAELIC	WELSH	TREE
Beithe	beithe	bedw	Birch
Luis	leamhan	llwyf	Elm
Fearn	fern	gwern	Alder
Saile	saile	helygen	Willow
Nuin	fuin	onnen	Ash
Uathe	luathaigh	criafol	Quicken *
Duir	duir	derwin	Oak
Tinne	aiteann	eithin	Gorse
Coll	coll	collen	Hazel
Ceirt	cairthin	cerddin	Rowan *
Muinn	muine	llwyn	Thicket
Gort
Getal
Straif	draighnean	draen du	Blackthorn
Ruis	ruis	rhosyn	Rose
Ailm
Ohn
Ur	iur	yw	Yew
Edhadh
Ido	eidhnean	eiddew	Ivy
Ebadh
Oir
Uilleand	cuileann	celyn	Holly
Iphin
Phagos	faibhile	ffawydden	Beech

(* - yes, I know they are the same!)

THE WORD ASSOCIATION OF MORANN MAC MAIN

NAME	TREE	MORANN MAC MAIN (TRANSLATION)
Beithe	Birch	feocus foltchain
Luis	Elm	li sula (li-colouring, sulach-sap/suil-eye)
Fearn	Alder	airinach fian (aireach-caution, fian-deer)
Saile	Willow	li n`aimbi (li-coulouring, neabhar-ivory)
Nuin	Ash	corsdad sida
Uathe	Quicken	conal cuan (conai-dwelling, cuan-harbour)
Duir	Oak	ardam dossaibh (arda-highest, dos-bush)
Tinne	Gorse	trian (trean-strength)
Coll	Hazel	cainiu fedaib (fedaib-wooden)
Ceirt	Rowan	clithar mbaiscaill (mais-beauty, cail-maid)
Muinn	Thicket	tresim fedma (treise-strong, fedma-wood)
Gort		millsiu feraib (millin-buds, fearach-pasture )
Getal		luth legha (luath-quick, leigheas-heal)
Straif	Blackthorn	tresim ruamna (treise-strong, rua-red)
Ruis	Rose	tinnem ruccae
Ailm		ardam iactadh (arda-height)
Ohn		congnamaigh echraide (colg-blade, maigh-boast, eacht-feats)
Ur	Yew	uaraib adbaid (cuar-circle, adbaid-wooden)
Edhadh		ergnaid fid (eagna-wisdom, fid-wood)
Ido	Ivy	siniu fedhaib (siniu-signature, fedhaib-wood)
Ebadh		snamchain fheda (snamhan-float, fheda-wood)
Oir		sruitem aicdi (sruthan-stream, aici-by)
Uilleand	Holly	tutmur fid uilleann (tartmhar-thisty, fid-wood, cuillean-holly)
Iphin		millsim feda (millin-buds, feda-wood)
Phagos	Beech	luad saethaig (luath-quicken, saothraigh-toil)

THE WORD ASSOCIATION OF ANGUS MAC IN OC

NAME	TREE	MAC IN OC (TRANSLATION)
Beithe	Birch	glaisium cnis
Luis	Elm	cara ceathra (cara-friend, ceathru-verse)
Fearn	Alder	comet lachta (comhart-safeguard, lachta-milk)
Saile	Willow	luth bech (luath-quickness, beach-bee)
Nuin	Ash	bag ban (beag-little, ban-white)
Uathe	Quicken	banadh gnuisi (banaigh-bleaching, gnuis-face)
Duir	Oak	gres sair (greasail-beatings, saor-craftsman)
Tinne	Gorse	smir gualli
Coll	Hazel	cara bloise (cara-freind, blais-taste)
Ceirt	Rowan	brigh annum (braighdean-captive, annamh-rare)
Muinn	Thicket	aruusc n-arrligh
Gort		mednercc
Getal		etud medach
Straif	Blackthorn	moridrum (mor-great, dronn-hump)
Ruis	Rose	ruamna dreach (ruamna-redness, dreach-face)
Ailm		tosach fregra (tosach-beginning, freagra-answer)
Ohn	Yew	feithim saire
Edhadh		siladh clann (seoladh-address, clann-family)
Ido	Ivy	comainm carat (comaoin-debt, carat-friend)
Ebadh		crinem feada (crionna-mature, feada-wood)
Oir		cosc lobair (cosc-prevention, labhair-speech)
Uilleand	Holly	li crotha (li-colouring, crotal-wheat husks)
Iphin		cubat n`oll (cubadh-bending, n`-of, oll-apples)
Phagos	Beech	amran blais (amhran-song, blais-taste)

THE WORD ASSOCIATIONS OF CU CHULAINN

NAME	TREE	CU CHULAINN (TRANSLATION)
Beithe	Birch	maise malach (maise-beauty)
Luis	Elm	luth cethrae (luath-quickness, ceathru-verse)
Fearn	Alder	din cridi
Saile	Willow	tosach mela (tosach-beginning)
Nuin	Ash	bag maise (beag-little, maise-beauty)
Uathe		ansam aidche
Duir	Oak	siechtam soire
Tinne	Gorse	trian n`airm (trean-strong, airm-arm/airm-weapon)
Coll	Hazel	milsem fhedo (millin-buds, fheda-tree)
Ceirt	Rowan	digu fethail
Muinn	Thicket	conar gotha
Gort		sasad ile
Getal		tosach n`echto (tosach-beginning, eacht-feats)
Straif	Blackthorn	saigid nel
Ruis	Rose	bruth fergae
Ailm		tosach garmae (tosach-beginning)
Ohn		luth fian (luath-quickness, fian-warrior)
Ur	Yew	forbbaid ambi
Edhadh		brathair bethe (brathair-brother, beithe-birch/beathe-life)
Ido	Ivy	luth lobar (luath-quickness, labhair-speech)
Ebadh		cainen eco
Oir
Uilleand	Holly
Iphin
Phagos	Beech

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A Guide to Ogham by Damian McManus
Auraicept na n`Eces (The Book of Ballymote)
The White Goddess by Robert Graves
Taliesin (Bardic Mysteries) by John Matthews
The Secret Languages of Ireland by R A S Macalister
The Sacred Isle - Daithi O Hogain