Fellowship & Fairydust

 

“O Cormac, grandson of Conn,” asked Caibre,
“What is lasting in the world?”
“Not hard to answer,” said Cormac,
“Grass, bronze, yew wood. That is all.”

~From The Counsels of Cormac

Botanical name: Taxus baccata
Family: Taxaceae
Ogham: Edad
Scots Gaelic: Iubhar
Irish Gaelic: Iúr
Welsh: Yw
French: If

Message: There is a time for letting go. The end is not your enemy. Let go with grace.

Quiet yew trees stand in the rain, their needles shedding water on the graves in the churchyard below. This is a common sight throughout the British Isles. Melancholy, yes. But it has its place. There is a time for all things to pass. If the old does not pass away, the new cannot grow. No tree reminds us so well of this as the yew. It can live thousands of years, but not without change. Many times in its life, its central trunk will begin to rot. When this happens, a branch will put down a root into the decaying material at the center. In death, the new life of the yew is fed. This phenomenon is described as ‘internal stemming’ or ‘internal rooting’, and is as common in the yew species as breathing in the human. (1) In this way, the yew lives long beyond the years of most trees. Indeed, Thomas Laqueur writes: “The yew of legend is old and lays claim to immemorial presence. We are speaking here of two or three dozen exemplary giants, some with a circumference of ten meters, that have stood for between 1,300 and 3,000 years but also of many more modest and historically documented trees that have lived, and been memorialized, for centuries. At least 250 yews today are as old or older than the churchyards in which they stand.” (2)

It is no wonder then that the tree is listed as ‘the yew of resilience’ in the Carmina Gadelica. (3)

In graveyards, the yew serves two purposes: they protect the dead, and their roots guide the traveling souls into the Land Under the Hill, where they will rest and be reborn. In this blessed twilight place, there is peace and plenty. (4)

When Christian and Pagan beliefs mixed, the folk under the hill became ‘the Little Folk’, ascribed by the Christian Irish as being the souls of honorable Pagans, too good for hell but too wild for heaven. In a way, their ancestors are still there, just a breath and a spadeful of earth away. (5)

The yew helped to fill the churchyards it guards as well. The earliest known wooden artifact is a yew spear, the Clacton Spear, found in 1911 at Clacton-on-Sea, in Essex. It is estimated to be over 400,000 years old. (6) The flexibility and durability of the yew tree have made it a preferred material for weapon-making through the centuries. The yew achieved notoriety in military history as the source of the renowned English longbow, the long range and deadly force of which helped win many battles for the English. (7)

For its beautiful, flexible wood, the yew was classed among the Nobles of the Wood in the Brehon law, a prince among trees and rightly so. Filled with the alkaloid taxine, it can kill a grown man in an hour. But Taxol, a derivative, can kill some cancers and save lives. (8)

In Old Ireland, life and death were parts of a whole. Death out of time was hard, but death was a step in life. The calf died to make cheese and vellum. The deer died to feed the people, and sometimes the hunter died in the chase. The warrior died to safeguard their folk. The salmon died when they were too old to avoid the net. The oath breaker died to restore the balance of the world and the safety of the community. Death in its proper place is a blessing, as we see in the Triads:

Trí báis ata ferr bethaid:
bás iach, bás muicce méithe,
bás foglada.

Three deaths that are better than life:
the death of a salmon,
the death of a fat pig,
the death of a breaker of oaths (9)

The yew reminds us that death is a necessary passage into new life. Without the passing of the old, there cannot be growth. Without a note of sadness in the harpist’s music, it will never be quite so sweet.

Today we see death as a hungry beast, an enemy and a failure of our skills. Better to see him as an old friend we’re playing a game with. Eventually he’ll win, but we will win often. Screaming at him only makes us sour. This is why the warriors were best respected when they faced death with a calm smile.

Perhaps none knew the balance of life and death so well as the Finna. They knew both the joy of the fawn and the sweetness of the full-grown deer brought down in proud contest.

Once as the Finna rested on the deer chase, a debate rose among them.

“Now what say you is the finest music in the world?” asked Osin. “Tell us that!”

“The cuckoo calling from the highest hedge,” said his merry son.

“A good sound,” said Finn.

“And you, Oscar?” Osin asked. “What do you say?”

“The highest music?” The battle leader shrugged. “It is the ring of spear on shield.”

“That is a good sound,” said Finn.

Now the others called out what they favored: The belling of a stag, the baying of a tuneful pack in the distance, the song of a lark, the laughter of a gleeful girl.

“Good sounds all,” said Finn.

“And what say you?” asked Osin, turning to him. Wise Finn bit his thumb in thought.

“The best music?” said Finn, at last. “Why, the music of what happens. That is the best music.”

1. Ancient Trees: Trees that Live for a Thousand Years, Lewington, A., & Parker, E., London: Collins & Brown Ltd., ISBN 1-85585-704-9, 1999
2. “Beneath the Yew Tree’s Shade”, Laqueur, Thomas W., Paris Review, October 31, 2015
3. Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantations Collected in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland in the Last Century, Carmichael, Alexander, 1992
4. The Sacred Isle: Belief and Religion in Pre-Christian Ireland, Dáithı́ Ó hÓgáin, Boydell Press, 1999
5. King of Mysteries: Early Irish Religious Writings, Carey, John, Four Courts Press Ltd, 1998.
6. The Clacton Spear: The Last One Hundred Years, Allington-Jones, Lu, Archaeological Journal 172.2: 273-296, 2015
7. The Yew Tree: A Thousand Whispers: Biography of a Species, Hartzell, Hal, Hulogosi Communications, Incorporated, 1991
8. Yew, National Non-Food Crops Centre, retrieved on 2009-04-23
9. The Triads of Ireland, Meyer, Kuno, ed. Vol. 13. Hodges, Figgis, & Co., Ltd., 1906

 

 

Appendix A – Extant Manuscripts Concerning the Ogham and the Mythological Cycles

Chronologically Listed

*Note: Each of these books contains massive amounts of lore. Only the relevant texts are mentioned in this list. Accompanying them in each book are many other poems, later additions of fascinating Christian material, and general notes on Irish life and politics.

Many of these texts are much older than their main sources: for instance, 7th century fragments of the Scholar’s Primer exist, as well as 5th century pieces of the Triads. But the listed versions are the most complete sources, from which translations were created that I in turn used in this book.

Book of Leinster-12th Century

Containing:

1. Lebor Gabála Érenn, ‘The Book of the Takings of Ireland’
2. Táin Bó Cuailnge, ‘The Cattle Raid of Cooley’

III. The Metrical Dindshenchas

1. Poetic treatise

Book of Ballymote-14th Century

Containing:

1. A copy of the Lebor Gabála Érenn
2. Tecosca Cormaic, ‘The Counsels of Cormac’ and other stories concerning King Cormac mac Airt

III. The Triads of Ireland

1. Stories of Fionn Mac Cumhail and Brian Borumh
2. Rules on measures of Irish verse
3. The only complete copy of the Auraicept na n-Éces, ‘The Scholars’ Primer’

VII. The Lebor na gCeart, ‘Book of Rights’ containing the Brehon Law

Yellow Book of Lecan-14th Century

Containing:

1. Rhapsody of the Irish prophet Bec mac Dé
2. Cath Maige Rath ‘The Battle of Mag Rath’

III. Bríathra Flainn Fhína maic Ossu, ‘The wise sayings of Flann Fína Or Aldfrith, son of Oswiu’

1. Poem ascribed to Columcille
2. First rann by Mac Liag, bard of Brian Boru
3. Immram Brain maic Febail ‘The Voyage of Bran mac Febaill’

VII. Táin Bó Cuailnge, ‘The Cattle Raid of Cooley’

VIII. Togail Bruidne Da Derga ‘The Destruction of Da Derga’s Hostel’

1. Suidiugud Tellaich Temra ‘The Settling of the Manor of Tara’
2. Aided Con Roí ‘The Violent Death of Cú Roí’
3. Clesa Conculaind ‘The Feats of Cú Chulainn’

XII. The Four Jewels of the Tuatha Dé Danann, on the Tuatha Dé Danann and their magical education

XIII. Tucait Fagbála in Fesa do Finn agus Marbad Cuil Duib ‘How Finn obtained knowledge, and the slaying of Cul Dub’

Book of Fermoy-15th Century

Containing:

1. Lebor Gabála Érenn, ‘The Book of The Takings of Ireland’
   II. The Fosterage of the Houses of the Two Milk Vessels
   III. The Wooing of Emer
   IV. The Adventures of Art Son of Conn
   V. The Voyage of Bran

Appendix B – Dates in Irish Myth and Legend

Note: it is impossible to completely separate the Old Irish stories and beliefs from their later Christian additions, so I choose to record them as a whole rather than falsely show them as easy to separate. Also note that sources vary on many of these dates. What we are looking at is not a coherent whole, but an averaging of many sources in an attempt to see places where they all agree, which may be close to a truth. These dates are taken from a list compiled by Richard Marsh using the Lebor Gabála, The Annals of Ulster, The Annals of Clonmacnoise, The Annals of Tigernach, and Chronicum Scotorum. Myth Cycles noted.

The Mythological Cycle

• 3330 BC – Destruction of the Tower of Babel
• 2956 BC – Cesair, granddaughter of Noah, came to Ireland with 50 women and 3 men 40 days before the Deluge, landing in Cork. Only Fintan survived from this group through magical workings. He became the narrator of the Takings of Ireland.
• 2679 BC – Partholon and his followers arrived. The Partholonians stayed 600 years; most died of the Plague.
• 2669 BC – The Partholonians fought the Fomorians. Scholars today suggest they may have been mythologized from interactions with sea pirates.
• 2666 BC – Slainghe mac Partholon is buried in Carn Slebhe Slangha (the Carn of the Hill of Slane)
• 2379 BC – 9000 Partholonians died by Plague. Taimhleacht Muintire Parthalain marks their burial. (Tamhlacht = Plague Monument).
• 2349 BC – The Nemedians come from Spain. Most died of the Plague or were killed by the Fomorians; 30 escaped.
• 1933 BC – The Firbolg arrive. They divided Ireland into 5 parts.
• 1896 BC – The Tuatha Dé Danann (the Tribes of the Goddess Dana) came from the northwest, bringing with them 4 great treasures. They had developed and practiced their magic arts in the North of Europe. They fought the Fir Bolgs near Cong, Co. Galway, and defeated them in the First Battle of Mag Tuireadh. The High King Nuada lost an arm in the battle.
• 1889 BC – The physician Dian Cecht and the Smith Gobhan made a silver arm for Nuada.
• 1869 BC –  The Tuatha Dé Danann fought and defeated the Fomorians near Lough Arrow, Co. Sligo, in the Second Battle of Mag Tuireadh (known today as Moytura). Nuada was killed, and Lugh Lámhfada became king.
• 1829 BC – Lugh established Aonach Taillten in memory of his foster mother, Taillte. Her burial mound is The Hill of Taillte, also called Taillten, in the townland of Teltown between Navan and Kells in County Meath.
• 1828 BC – Eochaid Ollathair the Dagda becomes Ard Ri, High King.
• 1749 BC – In the 80th year of his reign as Ard Ri, Eochaid died of a wound given to him at the Battle of Moytura. Eochaid is buried in the Brugh (Brú na Bóinne = Newgrange).
• 1748 BC – Dealbaoith mic Ogma became king.
• 1728 BC – Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht and Mac Greine began a shared kingship.
• 1699 BC – The Milesians came from Spain and defeated the Tuatha Dé Danann at Tailltin. Their first battle was at Slieve Mis in County Kerry, where Scota, daughter of Pharaoh ben Mileach, died. She was buried between Slieve Mis and the sea. One of Ireland’s early names, Scotia, honors her.
• 1698 BC – The first Milesian kings, the brothers Eremon and Emhear, began a shared kingship.

The Ulster Cycle

• 1335 BC – Ollamh Fodhla instituted the triennial Feis Tara.
• 658 BC – Macha becomes queen.
• 128-114 BC – Rule Of Eochaidh Airemh, brother of Eochaidh Feidhleach, husband of Étaíne.
• 107 BC – Conaire Mor, son of Etersceoil, grandson of Étaíne, king.
• 38 BC – Conaire Mor killed at Bruighin da Derg.
• 1 AD – Queen Maeve ascends her throne.
• 2 AD – Setena earns the name of Cuchulainn.
• 12 AD – The Cattle Raid Of Cooly. Cuchulainn and Maeve are both slain.
• King Conor mac Nessa of Ulster died when he went mad on hearing about the crucifixion of Christ.

The Fenian Cycle

• AD 12-157 – Rule of Conn Céadcathach, “of the Hundred Battles”.
• AD 140 – At the age of 17, Fionn mac Cumhail ended the Burning of Tara and became captain of the Fianna during Conn’s rule.
• AD 166-195 – Rule of Art mac Conn.
• AD 227-266 – Rule of Cormac mac Art.
• AD 268-284 – Rule of Cairbre Liffechair, son of Cormac mac Art.
• AD 284 – Death of Fionn mac Cumhaill.
• AD 284 – End of the Fianna at the Battle of Gabhra (Garristown, Co. Meath).

The Historical Cycle

• AD 353 – Birth of Saint Patrick near Glasgow.
• AD 364 – Saint Patrick captured by Irish pirates and brought to Ireland as a slave to tend pigs on Slieve Mis, Co. Antrim.
• AD 369 – Saint Patrick released by an angel, studied under Saint Germanus on the Continent.
• AD 432 – Saint Patrick arrived in Ireland as a bishop.
• AD 433 – Saint Patrick built a fire on the Hill of Slane to challenge the druids of King Laeghaire at Tara.
• AD 439 – Birth of Saint Brigit at Faughart.
• AD 494 – Death of Saint Patrick. His tomb is in Downpatrick, Co. Down.
• AD 520 – Birth of Saint Colmcille.
• AD 524 – Death of Saint Brigit.
• AD 593 – Death of Saint Colmcille.
• These three saints are buried together.
• AD 595 – Cumascach, son of High King Aedh Ainmire, killed by Brandubh, king of Leinster. This caused of the Battle of the Road of Dún Bolg the following year.
• AD 596 – Death of High King Aedh Ainmire in the Battle of the Road of Dún Bolg.
• AD 1198 – Death of Ruaidhri Ua Conchubair, Last high king of Ireland. Died near Lough Corrib, Co. Galway.
  Source: Marsh, Richard, Dates in Irish Myth and Legend, https://www.legendarytours.com/dates.html, retrieved 4/20/2018

About the Author

Olivia Wylie is a professional landscaper who specializes in the restoration of neglected gardens. In days of rain or snow she creates works revolving around the connections between human and green lives. She lives in Denver with a very patient husband and a rather impatient cat.