In Lebor Ogaim - Cryptic Varieties

Cryptic Varieties

The following are some of the more interesting examples of the cryptic ogham varieties (numbering as per Calder):

No. 1 Aradach Fionn/Fionn’s Ladder: In this variety each letter has its own vertical stemline. This form of Ogham inspired the theory that Ogham was first invented as a means of musical notation. According to Sean O’Boyle in his book ‘Ogam: The Poet’s Secret’, Fionn’s Ladder could be used as a fingering notation, a tablature to guide the player’s hand through the range of the harp. O’Boyle’s case has been examined from a musicological standpoint by Máire Egan (1983). While it is certain that Ogham was first designed as a system of writing and not for recording music; it is still possible that Ogham could have been used for musical notation after its invention. However, according to Egan, the lack of evidence of how exactly the traditional Irish harp was played means that the case cannot be proved one way or another.

No. 11 Runogam na fian/Secret ogam of warriors

No. 14 Ogam Bricrenn /Ogham of Bricrenn This follows the principal of one dot for B . two dots for L .. three dots for F … and so on right up to twenty dots for I. A short composition then appears in this rather laborious system. Macalister could make neither head nor tail of it, and declared it to be an ancient fragment of druidic lore. However, Meroney re-examined the verse and found it to be a ditty about a poet bemoaning his poor choice of affordable drink!

• Uisge slébi ním sása
• coibche gon gére n-gnúsa
• deoc daim duinn techtas blusar
• bes lúsar gen go lúsa

• 'Mountain water does not satisfy me
• a boon that makes me pull a wry face
• drink of a brown deer that bellows
• maybe it enjoys it, but I do not'

This alphabet is named after Briciu, the satirical poet in the court of the Ulster king Conchubar Mac Neasa, famed for his wicked tongue and skill in fomenting trouble.

No. 17 Ogam adlenfid/Letter Rack Ogham: This variety involves a single score against the stemline in the manner of the appropriate aicme, with as many horizontal strokes at the end of it as needed for the letter. It is very similar to no. 51, except that the strokes are put at the end of the score.

No. 19 Crad Cride Ecis/ Anguish of a Poet’s Heart: This variety involves a rectangular figure laid against the stemline in the appropriate manner for the aicme, with as many projecting scores from its top as needed for the letter. It is hard to see what makes this alphabet more a cause of anguish than many of the others, but at least the name shows that a sense of humour is in operation.

No. 23 Foraicimib 7 Deachaib/ Extra Groups and Syllables: Bacht, lact, fect, sect, nect; huath, drong, tect, caect, quiar,; maei, gaeth, ngael, strmrect, rect; ai, ong, ur, eng, ing. These are supplementary lists of syllables which the Oghamist had to learn as part of his grammatical training. Several of the alphabets are lists of this kind.

No. 32 Ogam Dedanach/ Final Ogham: The last letter of the name (of the letter) is written instead of the letter i.e. E for B, S for L, N for F, L for S, N for N and so on. This is a form of the alphabet intended for use as a code.

No. 33. Cend ar Nuaill/ Head on Proscription: The last letter of every group is written for the first letter, and the first letter of every group for the last letter, i.e. N for B, and B for N, and every letter for its fellow in the whole group, i.e. L for S and S for L and so on. Many of the alphabets are variations on this theme of swapping the value of the letters around.

No. 35 Ogam Buaidir Foranna/ Ogham of Uproar of Anger: For Group B, the first letter of the group i.e. B, one to five times for each of the letters; for Group H, the second letter of the group i.e. D, one to five times for each of the letters, and so on. Perhaps the intriguing name of this alphabet stems from the frustration of the reader trying to make sense of anything written in it!

No. 40 Brec Mor/ Great Dotting: This variety involves a single score against the stemline in the appropriate manner for the aicme, followed by as many dots less one as there are scores needed for the letter, e.g. the letter F has one score beneath the stemline, followed by two dots.

No. 51 Ogam Dedad/Ogham of Dedu: This variety involves a single score against the stemline in the appropriate manner for the aicme with as many short horizontal lines running out of its right side as there are scores needed for the letter. It is very similar to No. 17, except that the lines are put in the centre of the score. The Dedu (Clanna Dedad) is another name for the Érainn, the tribal grouping which gave their name to Ireland.

No. 63 Ogam Erimon/Ogham of Erimon: In this variety there are angles or 'V' shapes, against the stemline in the appropriate manner for the aicme, with one laid on top of another from one to five as needed. This alphabet is named after Erimon, son of Mil, leader of the Milesians. He was the first king to rule all of Ireland after the arrival of the Milesians, and was regarded as the ancestor of the Gaelic people.

No. 64 Ogam Snaithi Snimach/ Ogham of Interwoven Thread: In this variety, instead of strokes there are 'X' shapes, with one laid on top of another from one to five in a similar manner to the symbol for the forfid Emancholl.

No. 66 Nathair fria Fraech/ Snake through Heather: In this alphabet a wavy line is drawn which weaves above and below the letters like a snake.

No. 73 Ogam Airenach/ Shield Ogham:

No. 74 Rothogam Roigni Roscadhaig/Wheel Ogham of Roigne Roscadach: The name Roigne Roscadach means ‘Choicest Rhetoric’ so again there is a link with poetry. This ogham looks like a wooden wheel or shield, with the letter c repeated to look like bosses or pegs.

No. 75 Fege Find/Fionn’s Window: This variety has the novelty of arranging the letters attractively in a series of circles. The word fege also means a ridgepole used to hold up a house. Perhaps the alphabet is meant to invoke the image of a circular Iron Age house. The alphabet is named after the great Gaelic warrior of legend Fionn mac Cumhaill.

No. 76 Traig Sruth Ferchertne/Strand Stream of Ferchertne: This time the letters are arranged in a series of squares. Ferchertne was a famous mythical poet of ancient Ireland who epitomised the excellence of the poet’s craft. He was credited with writing part of the Scholar’s Primer dealing with poetry. According to Ó hÓgáin, so great were Ferchertne’s poetic powers that it was said that ‘the lakes and rivers drain before him when he satirises, and they rise up when he praises them’. Perhaps this explains the name ‘Strand Stream’ which can also be read as the ‘Ebb Stream of Ferchertne’.

No. 83 Traig Sruth Ferchertne /Strand Stream of Ferchertne: This alphabet has the same name as No. 76 above and is followed by a verse addressed to Nere, the quintessential judge of Irish Poets. McManus provides the following translation from the original Irish which is very obscure:

• 'O splendid famous judging Nere,
• If you treat of pure Ogham,
• I can name straight off in rapid words
• Every unfamiliar variation of Ogham,
• Of which you inquire in fitting questions.
• For you are a multi-skilled luminary
• Of the thrice fifty varied Oghams
• Set at the time of primary study'.

No. 88 Ogam Cuidechtach/Company Ogam: This is a word list similar to the ones for birds, colors etc. Thus: Bachlaid (Priests), Laichesa (Heroines), Fianna (Warriors), Senada (Synods), Noeim (Saints) and so on. It is a pity the author did not go beyond the first five letters as it would have been interesting to see what the whole list looked like.

No. 91 Ogam Lochlannach/Scandinavian Ogam