Ash: Fraxinus excelsior (Latin name)
Fuinseóg (Irish name)
Ash is a relatively fast growing tree, reaching up to 40 metres in favourable conditions. It is a deciduous tree with leaves which are divided into leaflets, generally 9 - 13 leaflets. It is an important woodland and hedgerow tree in Ireland. Ash (along with the Oak) is one of the last trees to come into leaf and according to folklore, the one that comes into leaf first, gives us an indication as to what the weather will be like for the summer:
"Ash before the Oak, expect a soak,
Oak before the Ask, expect a splash"
This rhyme suggests that if the leaves arrive on the Ash tree before the Oak tree, then it will be a wet summer. However, if the Oak comes first, it will be a dry summer.
Phenology is the study of the times of recurring natural phenomena and the dates of emergence of leaves and flowers have been well recorded for hundreds of years now.
The seeds produced by the Ash tree are commonly called "Keys" because they look like old medieval keys. These seeds, unusually, spend the winter months on the tree, before being dispersed by the wind early in the following Spring. A winter twig of the ash tree is easily recognised by its buds, which are black.
Ash trees grow best on damp soils, but unfortunately, they do not support a wide range of invertebrates and in turn do not have a rich collection of birds.
"The clash of the ash" is a familiar phrase in hurling. Hurleys are made from the wood of the ash tree. Ash is used because it is strong and flexible, with a good capacity for shock absorbency. Approximately, 350,000 hurleys are manufactured every year. Unfortunately, over three quarters of ash timber used is imported from the continent.
Many superstitions surround the ash tree and in Ireland, it was believed that the ash tree would be the first tree to be hit by lightening. Ash trees also have a strong link with holy wells. Sometimes the tree itself would provide the water. Ash is also the popular wood for wizards wands!
Many surnames are derived for trees and the Ash is no exception. The surname Ashe is a common name and means "dweller by the ash tree". In ancient times in Ireland, before we used the letters and writing we use nowadays, a form of writing called Ogham was used. We can still see some examples of this on carved stones in old monastic sites, and in the National Museum of Ireland. Ogham came from an earlier form of writing, the tree alphabet, where the letters came from the trees the people were familiar with and used. There were only 20 letters in this alphabet and the letter N (nion) originated form the Ash tree.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the Irish name for the ash tree?
2. How many leaflets do ash leaves have?.
3. What is phenology?
4. What are the seeds of the ash tree commonly called?
5. How would you recognise the winter twig of ash?
6. On what type of soils do ash trees grow best?
7. State any superstition surrounding the ash tree.?
8. Why is the wood of the ash tree used in making hurleys?
9. What is Ogham?
10. Where would you find examples of Ogham in Ireland?