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Ogham, The Ancient Irish "Tree" Alphabet
Written by Ciaran Vipond on Jul 04, 2019 | 10 Comments
Used in Ireland from at least the 4th century to 9th century AD, Ogham, pronounced Oh-am, is an alphabet of 20 letters can be found on over 300 stone monuments around the country.
Ogham stones in fields, and on hilltops like this one on Mt. Brandon in Co. Kerry give glimpses of Ireland’s ancient past. Most are border markers or monuments engraved with the evocative names of their commissioners.
This ogham stone on Mt. Brandon is inscribed with crosses and the ogham text “of the priest Rónán son of Comgán,” while other stones have even more enigmatic dedications like ”Belonging to the Three Sons of the Bald One,” or for “He Who Was Born Of The Raven.”
Where to See Ogham Stones?
For those in Ireland, these stones can be found with a good map. If you don’t fancy getting your feet muddy, there are beautiful examples on display in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, with the largest collection in University College Cork. And those farther afield needn't miss out, as the Ogham in 3D project has documented them all online!
The Dunloe Ogham Stones near Killarney in Kerry is another great spot with a collection of eight stones from the 5th and 6th century. Photo: Berthold Strucken.
Reading Ogham
Known as the ‘Celtic Tree Alphabet’, each of its 20 characters, or “trees,” is made out of a vertical reference line, or “stem,” with one or more slashes, or “twigs” which make up the sounds of the Irish language. It is read vertically from bottom to top, “up the tree”.
Each letter is associated with a tree, often one that starts with the sound the letter represents. The “B” sound, for example is called “Beithe,” or birch tree
The Origins of Ogham
Old myths say it was conjured up by the Celtic god of eloquence, Ogmios. More scholarly speculation suggests it was invented as a secret language, indecipherable to neighboring British tribes. Still others think it was created by early Christian communities who found it difficult to translate Gaelic sounds into Latin letters.
Ogham Today
We may never know its true origins, but Ogham still intrigues to this day and is a unique and mystical language embedded in the Irish landscape. All we can do is speculate and of course, and keep this tradition by reading and using this wonderful language. We do so by using Ogham in our lovely jewelry and of course in our logo, "HOME."
A Piece for Every Occasion
Ogham is the perfect touch to any of our Sterling Silver or Gold pieces. Write a message for the man or woman proud of their Irish heritage, in the ancient Irish alphabet.
Ogham Faith Celtic Cross Ring
$450.00
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Ciaran Vipond
My Irish Jeweler
Born in Co. Antrim and reared in Dublin, I was fascinated with Gaelic culture from an early age. I suppose it's not surprising given my mother inherited a grá for the Irish language from my grandfather, an Irish school headmaster. And that grá continues! My brother and sister are now Gaelic teachers here in Ireland, my niece is an award winning Irish dancer, and I proudly work to share Irish culture through our Irish and Celtic Jewelry at My Irish Jeweler!
I love researching and reading about the history of Irish design. It's at the core of what we do here at My Irish Jeweler. I find much of it so interesting that I have to share what I find. I hope you enjoy it!
Comments
I would like ogham spelling for
Karlee brokenshire
Flynn brokenshire
Phoenix brokenshire
Hi Karlee, always happy to help a fan of ogham. I've sent you an email with those three translations. Let us know if there's anything else we can help with. Hope you have a great Paddy's Weekend ☘
Would love Ogham spelling for Raven, I recently found out I was part Irish and with my native heritage the raven in my Spirit animal, I'd love to give respect to my Irish bloodline with the wording.
Hi Mike, Thanks for writing in! I've sent you an email there with what "Raven" would look like in Ogham. It's great that you are connecting with your roots. Do let us know if there's ever anything we can do for you. All the best, Liz.
I would like the Ogham spelling for my name.
Phyllis Muns
Thank you for your help
Thanks for reading, Phyllis! We'd be glad to help. I've asked one of my colleagues to reach out via email with more on Ogham and how your name might appear/fit on our selection of pieces. All the best from Dublin.
Love your designs and informative emails.
Thanks so much Vickie! We love to share our design inspirations with our friends around the world. Liz.
Ask Gemma
I would appreciate what the names Shannon also Brad or Bradley would look like engraved in Ogham. Thank you!