Each of the eighteen letters in the Gaelic alphabet is associated with a tree name and ordered according to the Ogham alphabet, a system which is hundreds of years old. The cover of the most well-known Gaelic dictionary—Dwelly—features all of these original tree names. Nowadays we use different names for most of these trees.
Letter | old name | modern name | Tree |
A | ailm | leamhan (m) | elm |
B | beith | beithe (f) | birch |
C | coll | calltainn (m) | hazel |
D | dàir | darach (m) | oak |
E | eadha | critheann (m) | aspen |
F | feàrn | feàrna (f) | alder |
G | gort | eidheann (f) | ivy |
H | (h)uath | sgitheach (m) | hawthorn |
I | iogh | iubhar (m) | yew |
L | luis | caorann (m) | rowan |
M | muin | fìonan (m) | vine |
N | nuin | uinnseann (m) | ash |
O | onn | conasg (m) | gorse |
P | peith-bhog | beithe (f) | birch |
R | ruis | droman (m) | elder |
S | suil | seileach (m) | willow |
T | teine | conasg | gorse/whin |
U | ur | fraoch (m) | Heather |
Traditional names
ailm
elm
beith
birch
coll
hazel
dàir
oak
eadha
aspen
feàrn
alder
gort
ivy
(h)uath
hawthorn
iogh
yew
luis
rowan
muin
vine
nuin
ash
onn
gorse
peith-bhog
birch
ruis
elder
suil
willow
teine
gorse/whin
ur
heather
Modern names
leamhan (m)
elm
beith (f)
birch
calltainn (m)
hazel
darach (m)
oak
critheann (m)
aspen
feàrna (f)
alder
eidheann (f)
ivy
sgitheach (m)
hawthorn
iubhar (m)
yew
caorann (m)
rowan
fìonan (m)
vine
uinnseann (m
ash
conasg (m)
gorse
beithe (f)
birch
droman (m
elder
seileach (m)
willow
conasg
gorse/whin
fraoch (m)
heather
Some of the modern tree names appeared in the conversation.
darach (m)
oak
beithe (f)
birch
caorann (m)
rowan
calltainn (m)
hazel
sgitheach (m)
hawthorn
‘S toil leam an darach, a’ bheithe agus an caorann, ach san Dàmhair ‘s i a’ chraobh-challtainn as fheàrr leam.
I like the oak, the birch and the rowan, but in October it’s the hazel tree I like the best.
‘S e an sgitheach as fheàrr leam.
The hawthorn is my favourite.