Each Irish Tuatha had a special tree that was chosen to represent the heart and spirit of the tribe. This was known as the Bile. This tree connected the tuatha to the Three Worlds and the Gods. It was a place of meetings, especially those requiring the resolution of spiritual matters and kingship.
Patrick Logan showed in his book “The Holy Wells of Ireland,“ how these Bile were frequently located next to sacred wells (which were also considered to be passageways to the Gods and the Otherworld).
Some of the famous sacred Bile are: Eó Mugna (an oak),
Eó Rossa (a yew), Bile Tortu (an ash),
Bile Magh-Adair (sacred tree of the ÓBriens.. probably an oak),
Ruadbetheach (Red Beech, sacred tree of the Ó Connors),
Craebh-telcha (sacred tree of the Ulaidh),
Bile Tulach Oc (sacred tree of the Ó Neills),
Crann Áhulla (a stunted ash),
Bile Brighid (a sacred oak in Kildare) ....there are/were many, many others.
There were oaks and oak groves with the name "Derry" or the suffix "daire" appearing in many place names. Since these are names for oak groves in Old Irish, let's not continue this misunderstanding about the place of oaks for the Irish Druids. <<
>> In Ireland, there was a division of the trees into groups that ranked them. One of these groupings had 28 trees in it. In general, I think the trees were also assigned a kind of honor price based on their natures, their usefulness, and their symbolic values. Everything was considered to have a definite value by the ancient Irish, even a human life, so the idea of sacredness is one that was assigned through ritual activity and lore as far as I can see.
The sacred tree or Bile was considered such because of its origins, its location for rituals and its nature, all in a threefold way. Everything is sacred but some things become elevated over others through choice and ritual action. Each thing has its brí from the gods but the combined spiritual/magical energy of a thing or place can be increased through buas.This is as true for trees and places, as it is for objects like swords, wands, staves and crafted items.
If this were not true, then there would be little worth to having magical tools or sacred objects and places. Everything would be as usual and nothing would be more special or interesting than anything else. I do not think we came into this life to blend everything into one big homogeneous stew.
I believe that we came here, into this life, for the differences, the competition and the ability to excel in the face of adversity.
A sacred tree is a symbol of the tribe's prestige and , as such, it is linked closely to its kingship. The idea of kingship is directly linked to the Goddess of Sovereignty (who is the source of prosperity for the life of people, animals and places). It is no small wonder that certain trees would be recognized as being blessed and chosen to represent this sacred link.
The idea of trees, their nature, and their worth to the people, was such that there was an entire law tract devoted to them called Fidbretha (Tree Judgements). If one's tree was harmed or destroyed, there was a "blood price" to be paid or extracted from the those who committed the crime. <<
5 Sacred and Magical Trees in Ireland
http://holidaysaroundireland.com/2013/03/5-sacred-and-magical-trees-in-ireland/
In Terms of Sacredness: Trees and Status in Medieval Ireland
Presentation by Michelle DiPietro
https://www.academia.edu/4403496/In_Terms_of_Sacredness_Tree_Laws_and_Status_in_Medieval_Ireland
"The Druids in Ireland did not worship the oak as is popularly believed instead their venerated trees were the hazel, yew and rowan."
Some people who otherwise seem to know what they are talking about think that.
"They bare no resemblance at all to the white-robed oak- worshippers of Julius Caesar. Irish druids wore, not white hooded robes, but rainbow capes, often feathered tunics and head-dresses (note, in the kast roscin this collection, how the druids mock the monks' hooded robes!). The important trees were rowan, yew, and hazel, and mistletoe was not found in ancient Ireland. "
http://www.imbas.org/.../excellence_of_the_ancient_word.html
From the very earliest times ancient man has had his tribal holyman, or shaman, to answer those esoteric questions which defied his logic or reason. This position of holyman can be found within the ancient cultures of tribal societies throughout the world. The early Celtic peoples were no different…
http://www.aislingmagazine.com/aislingmagazine/articles/TAM27/Druids.html
Postscript:
110514a
The image of the tree in Gaelic culture
Meg Bateman
http://pure.uhi.ac.uk/portal/files/1104943/Bateman_Image_of_the_Tree_RnaG6.pdf
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Rituals, ceremonies and customs related to sacred trees with a special reference to the Middle East
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1988790/
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Wishing trees
http://darraghdoyle.tumblr.com/post/84828406239/irelandseyeonmyth-this-is-a-wishing-tree-at
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clootie tree or witch tree
http://witchmountain.wordpress.com/tag/clootie-trees/
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clootie_well
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Forest and tree symbolism in folklore
http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/y9882e/y9882e08.htm
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http://www.carolynemerick.com/the-archivists-corner/sacred-wells-and-wishing-trees
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The old Irish term "bri"
Define "Bri":
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/br%C3%AD
From Old Irish bríg (" force, power, value "), from Proto-Celtic *brīgo-(" strength ") (compare Welsh bri ... Old Irish Etymology .
Ref.
From Old Irish bríg ("force, power, value"), from Proto-Celtic *brīgo- ("strength") (compare Welsh bri ("fame, distinction")), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷrī-g-, the suffixed extended form of Proto-Indo-European *gʷerə- ("heavy").Noun, strength, vigor, meaning, significanceOrigin & history II From Old Irish brí, from Proto-Celtic *brixs.Noun braehttp://www.wordsense.eu/br%C3%AD/
http://howtobeadruid.blogspot.com/2015/11/what-does-old-irish-term-bri-mean.html
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People and Trees: Intimately Connected Through the Ages
http://www.pachamama.org/blog/people-and-trees-intimately-connected-through-the-ages?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Facebook+Posts&utm_term=Ryan+Landes-Gilman&utm_content=Blog+People+Trees+Connection+6+27+15
THE SPIRITUAL POWER OF TREEShttp://www.psychicsuniverse.com/articles/spiritual-insight/spiritual-power-trees
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Under ancient Irish Brehon Law, trees were protected and heavy fines were imposed for the destruction of trees based on a hierarchical classification.
1. Airig Fedo - ‘Nobles of the Wood’ (Cheiftain Trees): Daur - Oak, Coll - Hazel, Cuilenn - Holly, Ibar - Yew, Uinnius - Ash, Ochtach - Scots Pine, Aball - Wild Apple.
2. Aithig Fedo - ‘Commoners of the Wood’ (Peasant Trees): , Fern - Alder, Sail - Willow, Scé - Hawthorn (Whitethorn), Cáerthann - Rowan (Mountain Ash), Beithe - Birch, Lem - Elm, Idath - Wild Cherry.
3. Fodla Fedo - ‘Lower Divisions of the Wood’ (Shrub Trees): , Draigen - Blackthorn, Trom - Elder (Bore Tree), Féorus - Spindle-Tree, Crithach - Aspen, Crann Fir - Juniper, Findcholl - Whitebeam, Caithne - Arbitus (Strawberry Tree).
4. Iosa Fedo - ‘Bushes of the Wood’ (Bramble Trees): , Raith - Bracken, Rait - Bog-Myrtle, Aiten - Gorse (Furze), Dris - Bramble (Blackberry), Fróech - Heather, Gilcach - Broom, Spín - Wild Rose (Dog Rose).
An early legal poem, translated by D.A. Binchy, reads: “A danger from which there is no escape is the penalty for felling a sacred tree”. Historically, there were five great trees of Ireland: Bile Uisnigh, the ancient tree at Scé; Bíle Tortan at Ardbreccan in County Meath; Craobh Daithi in County Westmeath; Eo Rossa, a yew at Old Leighlin in County Carlow; and Eo Mugna, an oak at the mouth of the Shannon. Some of these trees were reputed to be large enough to shelter a thousand men. Trees such as oak and yew were associated with kingship. (the Irish word bíle means ‘sacred tree’) Many other individual trees were considered sacred too.
Sacred trees and groves were considered as sanctuaries and were often the location of celebrations. The ancient Irish built no temples. Instead, they treated nature as a temple. Trees were the oldest living things and were looked upon as sources of great wisdom. Fairy Thorns and Rag Trees were thought to be frequently visited by beings of the Otherworld. Mass Bushes served as the location for sermons and Monument Trees as the location for weddings, royal inaugurations, seasonal festivals and other social events. Even today, there is a reverence for Fairy Trees; highway construction workers have diverted the course of their road so as to leave a single hawthorn standing.
If you think that is an exaggeration then take the case of Eddie Lenihan, the renowned storyteller author, lecturer and broadcaster who came to international attention in 1999 when he stood up to road builders in County Clare who were about to cut down a special whitethorn tree. (The whitethorn is considered in local Irish lore and Celtic folklore in general, to be sacred to the Aos Sí – the fairy folk of Ireland.) In local tradition, this specific tree was believed to serve as the meeting place for the fairies of Munster whenever they prepared to ride against the fairies of Connacht.
Eddie’s protests made international headlines and he succeeded having the course of the road altered to spare the tree. Eddie, demonstrated for us all, the great time honoured and ancient Irish tradition of reverence for nature as well as the punishments that will accrue to those who harmed the abodes of the fairies
Approximate pronunciation guide
Bile – bil-a
Dris - Dr-ish
Eo - oh
Féorus - Faor-us
Fróech – Froo-ach
Scé - Scah
Uisnigh -u/w ish nee
Image: Woods at Gormanston College, Co. Meath, Ireland
