As a woodworker and jewellery designer, I’ve always been drawn to the stories held within natural materials — especially the pieces of bog oak and native Irish woods I often work with. Recently, I’ve been exploring a new way to deepen the meaning behind my creations: integrating Ogham, the ancient Irish script, into my work.
What Is Ogham?
Ogham is one of the earliest known forms of writing in Ireland, dating back over 1,500 years. Traditionally carved into standing stones, it consists of a series of lines and notches arranged along a central stem. Each character represents a letter, but more than that, each is associated with a tree or plant — a connection between language and the natural world that feels especially meaningful for a craft rooted deeply in wood.
Some associations include:
- Beith (B) – Birch
- Dair (D) – Oak
- Saille (S) – Willow
- Coll (C) – Hazel
- Druí (Dru) – Elder
This beautiful intertwining of Irish heritage, nature, and symbolism makes Ogham much more than a writing system — it’s a bridge to the past.
Why Ogham Speaks to Me
Working with wood, especially ancient bog oak, has always felt like a collaboration with the story the material already holds. Each piece carries its own history — centuries underground, shaped by time, preserved by the land. Adding Ogham to my designs feels like a natural extension of this relationship.
For me, Ogham isn’t just decoration. It’s:
- Symbolic: Connecting each piece to Ireland’s cultural and ecological roots
- Personal: Allowing customers to choose words or initials that carry meaning
- Timeless: Bringing ancient language into modern design
- Textural: Adding depth through carved, burned, or engraved linework
How I Intend to Use Ogham in My Work
I plan to incorporate Ogham in ways that complement each piece’s natural grain and form — never overpowering, always enhancing.
Some ideas I’m developing include:
- Personalised pendants engraved with initials or meaningful words in Ogham
- Decorative inlays on lamps and sculptural pieces, using resin or contrasting woods
- Symbolic inscriptions based on the tree associations of the Ogham characters
- Wall art combining bog oak, resin, and carved Ogham messages
- Custom gifts featuring names, blessings, or Irish phrases translated into Ogham
Each mark becomes a connection — from the ancient script, to the story of the wood, to the person who wears or displays the piece.
Bringing Old Wisdom Into Modern Craft
Incorporating Ogham feels like a way of rooting my craft even more firmly in Irish tradition while offering something meaningful and unique to customers. It lets me honour the land, celebrate our linguistic heritage, and create work that carries a sense of depth and identity.
I’m excited to explore this path further and to share new pieces that carry both the beauty of natural wood and the quiet power of Ogham’s ancient lines.
B Group – Right side strokes – Aicme Beithe
| Ogham | Letter | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ᚁ | B | beith | birch |
| ᚂ | L | luis | flame/blaze or plant/herb |
| ᚃ | V/F | fearn | alder |
| ᚄ | S | sail | willow |
| ᚅ | N | níon | branch-fork |
H Group – Left side strokes – Aicme hÚatha
| Ogham | Letter | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ᚆ | H | uath | white-thorn |
| ᚇ | D | dair | oak |
| ᚈ | T | tinne | metal bar, ingot |
| ᚉ | C | coll | hazel |
| ᚊ | K | ceirt | bush |
M Group – Across strokes – Aicme Muine
| Ogham | Letter | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ᚋ | M | muin | neck, upper back |
| ᚌ | G | gort | field |
| ᚍ | NG | nGéadal | slaying/killing |
| ᚎ | Z | straif | sulphur |
| ᚏ | R | ruis | red |
A Group – Notches (vowels) – Aicme Ailme
| Ogham | Letter | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ᚐ | A | ailm | unknown, pine? |
| ᚑ | O | onn | ash |
| ᚒ | U | úr | earth, soil |
| ᚓ | E | eadhadh | unknown |
| ᚔ | I | iodhadh | unknown |
Supplementary Group – Forfeda
Five additional letters called forfeda were introduced mainly in the manuscript tradition several centuries after the peak of ogham usage. They appear to have represented sounds felt to be missing from the original alphabet
| Ogham | Letter | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ᚕ | X/EA | éabhadh | unknown |
| ᚖ | OI | óir | gold |
| ᚗ | UI | uilleann | elbow |
| ᚘ | P, later IO | pín, later iphín | spine/thorn |
| ᚙ | CH/X, later AE | eamhancholl | twin-of-hazel |
| ᚚ | P | peith | birch |
Peith ᚚ, a late addition to the Forfeda, is a variant of Beith (B), with a phonetic value of [p]. It likely replaced Ifín ᚘ, one of the “original” five Forfeda. Prior to the addition of the Forfeda to the original twenty letters, both [p] and [b] were probably symbolised by the same letter: Beith.
Miscellaneous
Here we have two decorative symbols often used at the start and end of inscriptions, and also a space symbol to separate words.
| Ogham | Letter | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ᚜ | – | tús | begin |
| spás | space | ||
| ᚛ | – | críoch | end |