Ireland's Wild Plants – Myths, Legends & Folklore

Download or read book Ireland's Wild Plants – Myths, Legends & Folklore written by Niall Mac Coitir and published by Gill & Macmillan Ltd. This book was released on 2017-05-01 with total page 458 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In ancient Ireland there were 365 different parts to the body, and a different plant to cure each part. So the wild plants of Ireland are bound up in our culture and folklore from the earliest times. To arry a four-leaved shamrock brings luck in gambling, while putting nine ivy leaves under her pillow means a girl will dream of her future husband. Here plants are described in seasonal order, a perspective dating back to our ancestors. Different aspects of plant folklore are examined following a brief history of traditional herbal medicine in Ireland. Included are their roles in magical protection, in charms and spells (especially for love!), as emblems in children's games, and in Irish place names.