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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 this tree. This has given rise to the phrase “the clash of the ash”, meaning a game of Hurling.
In mythology, Setanta is said to have killed the attacking hound of Cullan by striking a sliotar (hurling ball) struck by a camán, into its mouth. He then took it upon himself to take on the role of Cullan’s hound, thus becoming the renowned hero of Irish folklore, Cúchullain (meaning the hound of Cullan).
The Ash in Ogham (ancient Irish writing) is represented by five horizontal lines on the right face of a stone.

Illustration from an original by Margaret McKenna