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A monthly reflective space for An Ciorcal Beo.
Ogham: Stones, Trees and Origins
Join us for a dive into Ogham, the Irish language’s oldest documented form of being written down. Come on a journey to manuscripts as old as the 8th century that explain the alphabet that was started to be written on stone from the 4th century. Ogham carries the symbology of trees, with one source claiming it was invented by the god Ogma.
Léitheoireacht / Reading
Fuarthas eochair d’aistriúchán oghaim i dtéacs meánaoiseach darb ainm ‘Bunleabhar na Scoláirí’ (Auraicept na nÉces).
I réamhrá an téacs, insítear scéal faoi bhunús na Gaeilge. Iarradh ar Fhéinius Farsaidh, scoláire Éireannach, teanga nua a chruthú deich mbliana tar éis scaipeadh na dteangacha ó Thúr Bhabilóin agus chruthaigh sé an Ghaeilge – nó Goídelc mar a thugtar uirthi sa téacs.
Maíonn an téacs gur aimsigh Féinius Farsaidh ceithre aibítir, aibítir na hEabhraise, na Gréigise agus na Laidine, agus ar deireadh aibítir an oghaim, agus gurb é an t-ogham an ceann is foirfe mar gur aimsíodh é sa deireadh.
Foclóir:
| Focal / Frása | Brí simplí i mBéarla |
|---|---|
| fuarthas | it was found / discovered |
| eochair d’aistriúchán | key to translation |
| téacs meánaoiseach | medieval text |
| réamhrá | introduction (to a text) |
| insítear | it is told / a story is told |
| bunús | origin / basis |
| iarradh ar (duine) | (someone) was asked |
| scaipeadh | spread / scattering |
| chruthaigh sé | he created |
| maíonn | claims / states |
| aimsigh / aimsíodh | find / it was found |
| aibítir | alphabet |
| is foirfe | most perfect |
| deireadh | end / finally, in this context, the last |
Áiseanna / Resources
Prof David Stifter’s video (Maynooth University):
- Translation of the Lebor Ogaim – Mary Jones
- Ogh.am – Ogham transliterator
- Ogma – Irish and Scottish god. Supposedly from the word “to cut”.
- Ogham in 3D project
- View the Book of Ballymote manuscript online