This exact spot – this chair next to this window overlooking this scene – is the most perfect place on the planet for a writer. At least for a writer writing about Clew Bay.
When I want to give my eyes a rest, this is what I see:
(I can hear my father singing “Cruising Down the River,” except my father was a better singer and also a double bass.[1] But! Just this moment, all these years later, at 3:31, I learned for the first time the lyrics my father always scatted through!)
Later, I went for a walk to the outer Westport House grounds, near to the boat house. The first time I walked there under the trees – weeks ago now – I got the idea that something was left unspoken for a long time. I’ve gone back a few times but have not been re-inspired.
Here is where that rower ended up, almost to the boat house.
A bench in the sun seemed like just the place to sit and enjoy the lapping water and radiant sunshine. But this little guy[2] was not moving.
Finally, he moved and I sat. Then, ahead of me, was a lovely-shaped, smallish tree that kept demanding my attention. It’s holly. I only know holly as bushes, so this tree shape is new to me.
Holly is one of The Seven Noble or Guardian Trees of Ireland. As a group, they were protected in the Brehon Laws as though they were chiefs themselves and heavy fines were levied on anyone who damaged or cut them down.
Holly grow in the understory, beneath the canopy of the other, mighty trees. They invite in peace, goodwill, and safety. People planted holly near their homes and sacred places for protection from evil spirits as well as from lightning. As we saw with Patricia on one of our trips, holly grow well in fairy circles.
They provide berries and shelter for birds and wildlife. They are seen as guardians in the darkest time of year, and are a promise that green spring will return. They symbolize eternal life and strength in the face of hardship.
Holly is white hardwood. It makes good spear shafts and arrows. Like the protection, strength and spirit needed for and from warriors, the ancient Ogham name for holly refers to fire or iron bar, and old metalworking methods. Holly burns to a high heat, and the leaves are sharply pointed, like defensive weaponry.[1]
I hope this mystery of what is unsaid will become … non-mysterious. I left a piece of beach glass there.
And here, to finish the thought, are the Seven Noble Trees:
The Seven Noble Trees
- Daur (Oak): Considered the most sacred of all trees, symbolizing truth, courage, wisdom, and kingship.
- Coll (Hazel): Revered as the Tree of Knowledge, valued for its nutritious nuts in autumn and flexible twigs.
- Cuilenn (Holly): An evergreen tree symbolizing enduring life, protection, and fertility through the dark winter months.
- Ibar (Yew): An evergreen associated with sacred spaces, longevity, and endurance.
- Uinnius (Ash): Cherished for its incredible strength, utility, and healing properties.
- Ochtach (Scots Pine): Valued as both an evergreen symbol of survival and a major source of timber.
- Aball (Wild Apple / Crab Apple): Prized for its fruit and traditional cider production within early Irish communities.[4]
[1] Seriously. When my father sang low notes the floor vibrated. Also, I noticed that Irish people in general speak in lower voices than other kinds of people.
[2] Small tortoiseshell Aglais urticae. Probably the best-known of butterflies in Ireland, this is a common and widespread species occurring in many habitats around Lough Carra.
[3] https://www.cloudforests.ie/blog/the-hidden-magic-of-holly-trees-from-ancient-myths-to-modern-gardens
[4] https://emeraldisle.ie/the-guardian-trees-of-ireland, https://gallivanting.ie/blog/brehon-laws-and-irish-trees/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rgLUpoAVZw