Ireland’s Wild Plants

The wild plants of Ireland are bound up in our culture and folklore. They appear in the old Irish Brehon Laws and early nature poetry. Herbal medicine was also important. In ancient Ireland there were 365 different parts to the body, and a different plant to cure the ailments of each part. So there are myths, legends and folklore associated with wild plants and flowers in Ireland. A person who carries a four-leaved shamrock will have great luck in gambling, while a girl who puts nine ivy leaves under her pillow will dream of her future husband.
Plants are described in seasonal order instead of botanically, a fresh perspective bringing us back to the viewpoint of our ancestors. After the history of herbs in Ireland, tractional herbal medicine and different aspects of plant folklore are examined. Included are their roles in magical protection, their use in charms and spells (especially for love!), as emblems in children’s games, in Irish place names and folklore cures. As with its companion, Irish Trees – Myths, Legends and Folklore, this book is illustrated with specially-commissioned watercolours by Grania Langrishe.