There is an Irish myth revolving around a brother and sister
of the Tuatha De Danaan, after the untimely death of Miach,
his sister Airmed wept deeply for the loss of the special
relationship with her brother. As Airmed daily-tended Miachs
burial mound she falls asleep one day and Miach comes to
her saying that he gives her the gift of healing and leech
craft. When she awake she discovered that growing upon his
burial site all the herbs for healing and she knew the cunning
arts of herb craft. It is to her that I dedicate this article.
In Ireland kitchen gardens known as Lubgort, are a fenced
in cultivated plot containing herbs that was a common attachment
to a family home, and was mentioned in the 8th century in
the Book of Armagh. The cultivation of herbs was mainly
for culinary purposes; mints, dill, fennel and parsley.
In old monastery ruins with remains of infirmaries there
often are immaculate weed-free lawns!
Dandelions were cultivated at a Cistercian monastery in
County Tipperary. Elders still claim that wherever Comfrey
& Nettles grow together a monastery was sure to have
existed on the site. Since comfrey is the cure for stinging
nettles!
In many cemeteries you will often find self heal along
the gravesides.
Prior to the 19th century the people relied on local healers,
the old 'bean na luibheanna' and fairy doctors. There were
few qualified doctors in rural Ireland. The two cultures
lived side by side - the educated and those who believed
in the underworld of the fairies, superstition and magic.
The fairy doctors were said to have the cure for ailments
caused by the fairies. For example, Fairy Dart was a severe
attack of Rheumatism, which was treated with herbs such
as Nettles, Willow Bark or Meadowsweet. These herbs contain
salicin, an ingredient found in Aspirin. The three most
popular herbs used were Vervain, Eyebright and Yarrow, depending
on the nature of the complaint. Vervain was once held sacred
and gathered at special times of the day, on the rise of
the Dog Star, when neither the sun nor moon was shining.
Today Vervain is effective for treating liver conditions,
gallstones and a relaxant in nervous conditions.
The most well known Bean na Luibheanna, or 'white witch'
was Biddy Early from County Clare. She lived during the
Famine years and at a young age acquired her knowledge of
local herbs from her mother. It was widely believed that
she got her powers from the fairies. She treated local folks
with Cabbage leaves, Nettles and Watercress bound together
with beaten egg white for poultices, to treat swollen limbs.
Flax was grown nearby and she used this in poultices treating
festering wounds. While in her 20's she acquired a small
dark bottle that she used as a talisman. With this, it was
believed she was able to see the past and future and anything
she needed to know. She kept this bottle with her wrapped
in a cloth until she died. She was known to have the power
to heal people and influence animals and crops. Following
in the tradition of healers in Ireland she never accepted
money for her services but was given food and alcohol.
There was a fairyman in Coolcullen, County Kilkenny who
had the ability to cure mastitis in cows. He made up an
ointment of herbs, including wild garlic and butter for
rubbing on the udder. The owner of the sick cow then went
home without muttering a word to anyone. If he did, the
remedy would not work and the spell is broken.
Tony Cully was on crutches for 3 years suffering from arthritis.
He was told by a railway porter to drink Yarrow tea and
after 2 weeks he was well. In rural Ireland for centuries
folks chewed Feverfew leaves in a sandwich to prevent blisters,
or just sniffing the scent of the plant. We now understand
that Feverfew is an herbal remedy for Migraines and Arthritis.
Many of the herbal cures were kept secret and remain in
family recipes, although they were freely offered to the
sick.
My Granny & Mum were my teachers always showing me
where plants grew and how to prepare and to use them. I
remember having Pleurisy at a young age and Granny would
harvest the leaves & flowers of the Muellin plant and
make a Tisane for me to drink and this cured me quickly.
Muellin is now known for it healing properties for asthma,
tuberculosis and serious coughs. On our farm we used Yarrow
and splints to treat chickens & other small farm animals
with broken limbs. The animals responded to this care. Tansey
was grown to keep away lice and flies from our cattle and
horse barns. The Yellow Pimpernel was known as the kidney
plant and was boiled in milk for three minutes and taken
frequently over three days, after which the pains would
leave. Butchers Broom is still used for the suffering of
urinary stones. I can remember being offered warm Irish
stout with fresh elderberries swimming in the brew when
I was weak with vomiting and unable to hold down food.
One of the earliest Irish records of herbs used was on
the battlefield of 3000 years BCE after the battle of Magh
Tura, Co. Mayo, between the Firbolgs and invading Tuatha
De Danaan, baths of herbs were prepared into which the wounded
were plunged. The De Danaan also had a great physician named
Dianacht, who recommended a porridge consisting of Hazel
buds, Dandelion, Chickweed and Wood Sorrel boiled together
with meal. This was used for the relief of colds, phlegm,
throat troubles and worms up until the last century.
Early Irish physicians based their traditions and knowledge,
not only on Galen & Hippocrates, but also on Dianacht.
During and after the Battle of Clontarf (1014), soldiers
returning from battlefields stuffed their wounds with Sphagnum
Moss.
Wild Garlic had its place in Irish Herb Lore and was used
for coughs, asthma & shortness of breath. On the farms
it was used for black leg in cattle. Farmers made an incision
in the animal's neck and popped in a clove of garlic sealing
it by typing the hairs from the skin together, thus the
first sutures before Vets were available. Hoarhound grows
abundantly in ditches and was prepared in a strong brew
used to bring on menstruation. The leaves of fresh Marshmallow
were boiled and placed in dressings for sprains and swellings.
Comfrey Root was commonly used after it was carefully dug
up so as not to disturb the skin, grated and spread out
on a clean cloth and applied over a broken bone, wound or
bad bruise. It set up like plaster and was left there until
it fell off.
These are just a random few herbal remedies from Irish
Folklore. With the modern methods of farming and the decline
in small family farms many of our wild plants, shrubs and
trees are disappearing. There are fifty species of plants
in danger and ten species are now extinct. We do boast two
species of plants; Bog Orchid and Pillwort, now vanished
from the remainder of Europe, can still be found in Ireland.