In the Irish Tree Lore Horoscope, the Holly rather unusually covers a summer month, 8th July – 4th August. It was believed that as summer drew to a close, there would begin a battle between the Oak and the Holly, the Holly ultimately winning, thus allowing the approach of winter when the Holly would reign. It was good luck to bring a Holly branch in to the house but bad luck would fall upon those that would cut down a Holly tree. There is a legend concerning Fionn Mac Cumhaill and the Holly tree. One day Fionn and his warriors, the Fianna were hunting on Keshcorran Hill in County Sligo in a territory ruled by a King who disliked Fionn. The King sent his daughters, three terrifying looking women, to cast a spell. They sat at the entrance to a cave and spun the spell using strands from the Holly tree. Fionn and his men, being curious, investigated and fell under the enchantment, at once being trapped in the cave. In Ogham the symbol for Holly is Tinne, three horizontal strokes on the left face of a stone. .
