Ogham Alphabet

The ogham alphabet originally consisted of twenty letters, divided into four aicmi or families according the stroke angle and direction

  • ᚁ
    Aicme beithe

    'B group', right side/downward strokes

  • ᚋ
    Aicme hÚatha

     'H group', left side/upward strokes

  • ᚆ
    Aicme muine

     'M group', oblique crossing strokes

  • ᚕ
    Aicme ailme

     'A group', notches or perpendicular crossing strokes

  • ᚙ
    Forfeda

    'Additional letters', used later to extend the original Ogham alphabet

Aicme Beithe – B Family

Letter Ogham Name Meaning
B ᚁ beith birch
L ᚂ luis flame/blaze or plant/herb
V/F ᚃ fearn alder
S ᚄ sail willow
N ᚅ níon branch-fork

Aicme hÚatha – H Family

Letter Ogham Name Meaning
H ᚆ uath white-thorn
D ᚇ dair oak
T ᚈ tinne metal bar, ingot
C ᚉ coll hazel
K ᚊ ceirt bush

Aicme Muine – M Family

Letter Ogham Name Meaning
M ᚋ muin neck, upper back
G ᚌ gort field
NG ᚍ nGéadal slaying/killing
Z ᚎ straif sulphur
R ᚏ ruis red

Aicme Ailme – A Family

Letter Ogham Name Meaning
A ᚐ ailm unknown, pine?
O ᚑ onn ash
U ᚒ úr earth, soil
E ᚓ eadhadh unknown
I ᚔ iodhadh unknown

Forfeda – Additional Ogham Letters

Letter Ogham Name Meaning & Glosses
EA ᚕ Éabhadh “Fair-swimming letter.” Bríatharogam Morainn mac Moín: snámchaín feda (“fair-swimming letter”). Maic ind Óc: cosc lobair (“admonishing of an infirm person”). Con Culainn: caínem éco (“fairest fish”).
OI ᚖ Óir “Gold.” Morainn: sruithem aicde (“most venerable substance”). Maic ind Óc: lí crotha (“splendour of form”).
UI ᚗ Uilleann “Elbow.” Morainn: túthmar fid (“fragrant tree”). Maic ind Óc: cubat oll (“great elbow/cubit”).
P / IO ᚘ Ifín (earlier Pín) “Spine” or “thorn.” Morainn: milsem fedo (“sweetest tree”). Maic ind Óc: amram mlais (“most wonderful taste”).
AE ᚙ Eamhancholl “Twin of Coll (hazel).” Morainn: lúad sáethaig (“groan of a sick person”). Maic ind Óc: mol galraig (“groan of a sick person”).
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