Well here we are in the month of ‘Broom’…or would that be ‘Reed’?
Although Robert Graves’ ‘Tree Calendar’ gives us ‘Reed’ for ‘Ngetal’, Word Oghams in the Book of Ballymote seem to favour ‘Broom’.
According to Morann Mac Main…
Hence for that letter in Ogham owing to the complete identity of the name between them Luth legha, a physician’s strength; that is broom, ng, because it is strength with the physicians, and there is an affinity between cath, battle, and getal, broom.
Etiud midach, robe of physicians, cath, panacea (?). Hence it was put for getal, broom, ng.
The word ‘getal’ here could well relate to the Old Irish ‘gedal’ which actually means Broom but there is also the ‘healing’ connection with ‘a physician’s strength’, ‘robe of physicians’ and ‘panacea’ and also the Word Ogham of Cuchulain stating ‘Tosach n-echo I icce, beginning of heroic deeds, healing.’
Broom(Cytisus scoparius) has a long tradition in herbal medicine ..
Of course the name itself tells of the main use of this plant back in the days before the vacuum cleaner was invented, and this in turn puts us in mind of Witches and Wise Women – very appropriate for this time of year 😉
The old Celtic festival of Samhain – now more popularly known as Hallowe’en – hailed the start of the Celtic New Year – so once again we have a connection with ‘clearing out the old to make way for the new’.
So now I think I rest my case – it’s definitely Broom for me! 😉
Wishing you all a great month ahead!
Kim x
Top photo of ‘Brooms for sale in a Tbilisi market’ courtesy of Vladimer Shioshvili
Divine Ogham 