Ogham Alphabet
The ogham alphabet originally consisted of twenty letters, divided into four aicmi or families according the stroke angle and direction
- Aicme beithe
'B group', right side/downward strokes
- Aicme hÚatha
'H group', left side/upward strokes
- Aicme muine
'M group', oblique crossing strokes
- Aicme ailme
'A group', notches or perpendicular crossing strokes
- 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”). |