Donal Hickey: The place of gorse in Irish mythology and folklore
The aftermath of the devastating fire in Killarney National Park, at the Eagles Nest, along the Long Range River. Picture: Valerie O'Sullivan
A striking image from the charred, mountain landscape last week was of a solitary furze bush. Like a symbol of hope, it glowed bright and yellow in the fire-blackened Killarney National Park.
Plenty has already been said about this and other destructive fires around the country, but it’s good to see furze creating an altogether more kindly blaze on the hillsides.
Now that the ancient Celtic feast of Bealtaine, heralding the arrival of summer, is upon us, we are reminded of the place of furze - also called gorse, or whin, depending on what part of the country you are in - in mythology and folklore.
Associated with Lugh, the Celtic god of light, it was believed to be a sign of hope in times of difficulty. Aptly enough. And, like all thorny bushes, was said to belong to the fairies and guarded the entrance to the Otherworld.
Mind you, furze had practical uses too. It came in handy as fodder for farm animals and as a bed to keep cocks of hay off the ground. In folk medicine, it was used to treat coughs and sore throats and hiccups and to cure worms in horses. Hurleys and walking sticks were made from its hardy wood.
Bees see it as a fruitful source of nectar. In autumn, spiders love to weave their webs on furze bushes. Its coconut scent perfumes the air, which people walking in the outdoors during this May bank holiday will enjoy. Unsurprisingly, distillers have used its flowers to flavour whiskey.
Many places take their names from it. The Irish word for furze is aiteann, basically meaning ‘’sharp and lacerating’’. You have, for example, Furze Island (Oilean an Aitinn), in Dunmanus, West Cork; Knockanattin, Co Tipperary, and Ballinattin, Co Waterford.
A few final thoughts on those fires. In spite of appeals, they are set every year, usually at the worst possible time for flora and fauna. And the culprits never seem to get caught. Something often overlooked is that, as well as national parks, private property can also be affected. Last weekend, some people in the Black Valley, Co Kerry, feared their houses would be burned, the fire came that close to them.
Instead of looking for scapegoats, it’s as well to admit that many people have little respect for the environment. We recently featured problems with people letting dogs loose on the hills; there are ongoing issues with littering and illegal dumping, whilst some people start fires and light barbeques in highly sensitive areas.
Heritage Minister Malcolm Noonan has announced the appointment of 50 extra park rangers. Might we suggest that some of the rangers also be given an educational brief - telling people how to behave themselves in the outdoors!
