Hawthorn - mug

The month of the Hawthorn covers the period from 13th May - June 9th. In ancient Ireland, it was a tree associated with the fairies and a place where they met and danced. Even as recently as the late 1990s, a by-pass in Co. Clare was diverted so a fairy tree would not be disturbed. In so many parts of Ireland today, the lone Hawthorn in a field or Hawthorns ringing a fairy fort remain untouched. The fire in the picture is that of Bealtaine, on the Hill of Uisneach (near Mullingar Co. Westmeath), which was the signal fire for others across the land to welcome the summer. This happened at the beginning of May which in Irish is named after that festival. The Hill of Uisneach with its well-known fairy tree is the centre of Ireland and was a prominent place in ancient times. The large stone behind the tree is called the Catstone and underneath is said to rest the Goddess Éiriú, one of the ancient Goddeses of Ireland and after whom this country (Éire) is named. The Ogham (ancient Irish writing) for Hawthorn is marked by a single horizontal line on the left face of a stone.

Illustration from an original by Margaret McKenna