Ogham is a timeless and ancient alphabet. The term Ogham is derived from the word Ogma, which refers to the Celtic God of Elocution or eloquence. The Ogham alphabet consists of groups of one to five lines arranged vertically over a stem line, with each group representing a distinct letter.

Irish legend tells how the first man was made from alder and the first woman from Rowan. When an Alder is cut down, it bleeds an orange-red sap that is associated with blood and war. The Alder is associated with fire and the power to reduce water. If you look closely at an Alder bud, you will notice that it is set in a spiral shape symbolic of re-birth.

Alder is associated with divination, music, poetry, wind magic, weather magic, teaching, and decision making. Also used in rituals of death and dying to provide protection for the deceased. Because it is a tree that allows access to the faerie realms, it is not good fortune to cut one down, as it is a charm against malevolent faeries. The Alder Faerie is a water spirit and is considered a “dark faerie”. She is a very protective of her tree and is known to take the form of a raven on the rare occasion she travels.