Since anyone can remember, Druids have been renowned for their exceptional knowledge and memories. A good memory is a real asset to a druid because of all of the flora, fauna, spells, and potions, and all of their meanings and uses, not to mention countless epic poems and stories. Also, a strong mind is required in order to call upon and affect the natural magic’s that Druids are endowed with. In many cases, entire communities of Druids remain illiterate intentionally in order to retain their excellent mental abilities. However, our superior minds are nearly useless if we cannot communicate with other members of the community. Learning of political affairs, advancements in fighting techniques, herbology, and alchemy, and sharing the will of our Inspiration are some of the reasons that a Druid would take up the study of modern languages.
The Ogham (pronounced OH-im) is a sort of in-between. Early forms of Ogham were simply hand signals (using five fingers on one hand and the opposite arm) with names that relate to different parts of Nature, for instance trees or flowers. Later, we wrote the Ogham down using strokes, usually on the side of a cornered stone or long piece of wood. These pieces of wood are often connected at the base making a fan (or, if closed and long enough, a walking stick) full of stories, called a Taball Lorg. Due to the (intentionally) basic form of the Ogham, only a few words are able to be written at once. Often, the Ogham is used simply for making a list (of stories memorized or potion ingredients, etc) or for writing down genealogies on headstones and territory markers.
~Thanks to Druid Ioreth for her research and parchment on the Ogham
((NOTE: The following set of runes listing the various parts of the Ogham are in no way the complete set of the Ogham characters. There are approximately 10 more that are used with varied characters and names, but for path reasons, we have only listed those below.))
Ailm - Far Sighted - Clear Vision - Perception - Selflessness
Beith - New Ventures - Cleansing - Change - Strength - Protection
Coll - Intuition - Divination - Transformation
Dair - Strength - Endurance - Courage - Patience - Guidance
Eadhadh - Spiritual Strength - Trust - Inner Voice
Fern - Spiritual Warrior - Oracular - Protection - Balance - Inner Strength
Geadal - Action - Protection - Reflection - Cleansing - Patience
Gort - Journey - The Self - Balance - Freedom
Luis - Insight - Protection against Enchantment - Control over your life
Muin - Prophecy - Instinct - Inspiration
Onn - Collecting - The Harvest - Gathering
Sail - Unconscious mind - Intuition - Emotions - The Moon - The Feminine
Straif - Cleansing - Challenge - Fate - Strength - Hard Choices
Tinne - Strength - Love - Balance - Responsibility - Communication
Uath - Cleansing - Protection - Preparation - Love
Ur - Passion - Inner Self - Healing - Gatekeeper - Nursemaid
Rune images were taken by Cailleach.
See Also: Runes A-L, The Ogham Trees