Next up on our ogham journey is Úr. Not sure what ogham is? Here is a quick refresh…
Ogham is an ancient Irish inscription alphabet that was used to inscribe headstones and other important markers. In mythology, it was created by the God Ogma (OH-muh) to warn Lugh about a plot to steal his wife. Today, Ogham is used in magic and divination.
If you want to learn more about what ogham is in general, I wrote about that here: Irish Tree Language - The Ogham 
I also have a video explaining the origin story of ogham that you can watch here: https://youtu.be/CWEm2pcAFc8
Úr (pronounced “oo-r”) is the third fíd of the fourth and final aicme. The literal translation of the word Úr soil or earth, and the main keyword associated with Úr is death. This is a fíd of cycles, and rebirth, as well as the solemnity of grief and growth. Like Onn before it, Úr is associated with many different plants, including Heather, Blackthorn, and Whitethorn. For this post, we will focus on Heather as the plant associated with Úr.
According to Weaving Word Wisdom, there are three traditional word oghams associated with Úr. These are:
- úaraib adbaib - in cold dwellings
- sílad cland - propagation of plants, seeding up of plants, growing of plants
- forbbaíd ambí - shroud of a lifeless one, shroud of the lifeless, i.e. soil
We can read part of these word oghams from The Ogham Tract.
Uaraib adbaib, in cold dwellings, that is ur, fresh, with him, for from uir, the mould of the earth is the name uaraib adbaib. Hence it was put for the letter named ur, heath, in Ogham, owing to identity of name between them, each of them is ur, and it is written by u.
…
Silad clann, growing of plants, that is ur, heath, u with him, for it is uir, the soil of the earth, that causes the growing of the plants that are put into it. Growing of plants, again, said of the soil of the earth, is said of the Ogham letter which has taken the same name with it, each of them is ur.
Úr represents a liminal space between life and death. It is the darkness of our graves, and the literal soil that gives us life. We all come from the Earth, made of elements and pieces of the world, bound together in a body that is given a conscious mind. We are one with nature, one with the soil that gives us life and cradles us in death.
This is also a fíd of grief and solitude. Whether we are experiencing the death ourselves or seeing it happen around us, the “shroud of the lifeless one” is a visible barrier between the cycles. We become separated from what once was, and the keening sounds of our grief and the grief of our loved ones can be heard through Úr and the soil where we find our rest.
It is important to note that Úr does not represent only physical death. Much like death-associated divinatory symbols in other systems, Úr also represents metaphorical deaths and endings. Any ending forewarned by Úr will likely be painful, leaving us feeling grief and drowning us in hopelessness. The reminder comes when the shroud is lifted and we move through the cycles, continuing on to the next phase of our journey.
Heather
Heather is a prolific plant scattered all across the Celtic lands. In the Scottish Highlands, it grows freely on the mountainsides, coloring the landscape with speckles of purple and yellow. While there are many varieties of Heather, the one most commonly found in Celtic lands is common heather, also known as Calluna vulgaris.
In ancient times, heather was used for dyes and medicine. One source says that a folk medicine practice would use heather as a diuretic and urinary antiseptic. That same source says that heather has many properties.
The flowering shoots are antiseptic, astringent, cholagogue, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, mildly sedative and vasoconstrictor. The plant is often macerated and made into a liniment for treating rheumatism and arthritis, whilst a hot poultice is a traditional remedy for chilblains. An infusion of the flowering shoots is used in the treatment of coughs, colds, bladder and kidney disorders, cystitis etc.
Besides the folklore medicinal uses, heather was often used to make brooms due to its long, sweeping limbs. It is also tolerant to grazing, so it makes a good grazing pasture for sheep and cattle. In fact, that is one method of controlling the heather population, especially since it regenerates quickly and is tolerant to many different conditions!
There are also tales of heather ale, an ale so delicious that a chieftain and his son died to protect their recipe!
A legend relates how in the 4th century the Vikings (some say the Scots) defeated a Pictish army. They slaughtered all but the king and his son, whom they cornered on a cliff top. From these two the victorious chieftain hoped to extract the secret recipe for heather ale. After torturing the pair for a short while, the Pictish king offered to reveal the recipe if his son died a quick death. The captors obliged and threw the prince from the cliff. The Pictish king then revealed that though he was sure he himself could keep the secret, he had had doubts about his son’s ability. With that he grappled with the Viking chief and hurled both of them over the precipice.
In Divination
In a divinatory reading, Úr is heavily connected with balance, cycles, and darkness.
Here are some keywords I’ve come up with in my studies for Úr regarding divination.
- death
- cycles
- rebirth
- grief
- graves
- cemeteries
- burial
- endings
- physicality
- land spirits
- Earth and soil
- ancestors
At the end of every fíd in her book, Erynn has questions and linked concepts to think about for each one. For Úr, she writes the following…
What in my life is passing away? What must I leave behind?
A Personal Note
The connection to death and grief is one I always find fascinating. I have long been interested and captivated by deities and concepts that embrace this sense of liminality between life and death. Though I can say that I would rather not encounter Úr in a reading. However, the word ogham “shroud of a lifeless one” gives me a strange sense of peace that I should probably explore more deeply.
Sources and Further Reading
– Celtic Ogham Symbols and Their Meanings
– The Ogham Tract
– Weaving Word Wisdom by Erynn Rowan Laurie
I’m happy if it was helpful!
and it’s the association with Ur that gives it that meaning. I think if you found comfort with the scent, that meaning is more important than this one.