Tag: fairy

Pam and I were lucky enough to plan our tour of Ireland for May and June when the Hawthorne trees are in bloom.  Named sceach gheal in Gaelic, the white clusters of blossoms symbolize hope.  Hawthorns are plentiful throughout the island.  The Irish revere the tree and associate each Hawthorn with the Little People.  There are roads in Ireland that curve around a Hawthorn tree because the local people convinced the engineers to do so, to save the tree.

This specimen, covered with offerings (to the Little People?), is on the trail to Loughcrew.  Even with her knee trouble, Pam made it to the top of the Hag’s Mountain to visit Cairn T of the Loughcrew Passage tombs.

Pam loves to capture images and returned from Ireland with a large collection.  Most of the photos of me at work are by Pam.  Here Pam is capturing the summit view of Hag’s Mountain with the Cairn T entrance gate in the background.  Lucky for us, a fellow visitor made the trip to Loughcrew Gardens and picked up the  gate key from the café.  In a later post I will share my work from inside this passage tomb.

Pam makes friends wherever we go.  She started down the mountain before me to take it easy on her knees.  When I caught up, Pam and a young Irish family were deep in conversation.  I took the opportunity to capture Pam with that gorgeous view to the northwest, Irish countryside with Lake of the Branches in the far distance.

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I originally published these blossoms as “wild  rose”.  It was my Facebook friends who pointed  out these are hawthorn flowers.  The key to identification was the shape of the leaves.

In correcting my mistake, I learned the young leaves of Hawthorn are excellent for salads.  Wonder how the fairy folk, associated with single hawthorns (as in the following photograph from the Hill of Tara), react to picking leaves from their trees?  I didn’t hear of the practice during our time in Ireland.

Click Link for my Online Ireland Photography gallery

My mistake was understandable, in botany the hawthorn is in the same family as the rose.  The flowers are similar, having five petals.  The “haw” in hawthorn is from the Old English word for hedge, as is this linear standoff the tree lining the way up to the Loughcrew Cairns.

I read these votive offerings are made at Beltane, in which case these are fresh from placement May 1.

The following year Pam underwent double total knee replacements, never the less, she was great company for all our adventures on the island.  Even this steep climb.

Click Link for my Online Ireland Photography gallery

These views were our reward for reaching the top.

The Emerald Isle, we fully understood this name.

The Greek name for the Hawthorn species is formed from two words meaning “strength” and “sharp”, referring to the thorny branches.

Click Link for my Online Ireland Photography gallery

We marveled at the hawthorn hedges in field after field.  I first notice them from the World Heritage Site, Newgrange (Brú na Bóinne, “Palace of the Boyne”).  Here is one on the Dingle Peninsula, on the other side of the island.

Another Ireland post of interest, “Proleek, Grandfather McCardle’s home.”