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19 February - 17 March

One of the most sacred of the trees in ancient Ireland, the month of the Ash covers the period from 19th February – March 17th. The Ash was seen as a protector, it being prone to lightning strikes, thus saving nearby dwellings. It was used to ward off evil and was the wood from which the Druids made their wands or staffs. The ancient game of Hurling has long been associated with the Ash as the Hurling stick or Camán is made from the ash. This has given rise to the phrase “the clash of the ash, meaning a game of Hurling. The Ogham (ancient Irish writing) for Ash was five horizontal lines on the right face of a stone.

Illustration from an original by Margaret McKenna