Ogham - A Thesis
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