Herbs, Irish Uses of Herbs

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

There are seven herbs of great value and power; they are ground ivy, vervain, eyebright, groundsel, fox-glove, the bark of the elder-tree, and the young shoots of the hawthorn.

Nine balls of these mixed together may be taken, and afterwards a potion made of bog-water and salt, boiled in a vessel, with a piece of money and an elf-stone. The elf-stone is generally found near a rath; it has great virtues, gut being once lifted up by the spade it must never touch the earth, or all its virtue is gone.
(This elf-stone is in reality only an ancient stone arrowhead.)

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

The Mead Cailleath, or wood anemone, is used as a plaister for wounds.

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

The hazel-tree has many virtues. It is sacred and powerful against devils? wiles, and has mysteries and secret properties known to the wise and the adepts.

It was by the use of a hazel wand that St. Patrick drove out the serpents from Ireland, one only escaping, who plunged into the Great Lake at Killarney, and remains there to this day crying to be released. And with a hazel stick a person can draw a circle around himself, within which no evil thing can enter?fairy, or demon, or serpent, or evil spirit. But the stick must be cut on May morning, and before sunrise, to make it powerful.

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

The ancient Irish believed that there were fountains at the head of the chief rivers of Ireland, over each of which grew nine hazel-trees that a certain times produced beautiful red nuts. These nuts fell on the surface of the water, and the salmon in the river came up and ate them, which caused the red spots on the salmon. And whoever could catch and eat one of these salmon would be indued with the sublimest poetic intellect. Hence the phrase current amongst the people: ?Had I the net of science?; ?Had I eaten of the salmon of knowledge.? And this supernatural knowledge came to the great Fionn through the touch of a salmon, and made him foreknow all events.

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

Of all herbs the yarrow is the best for cures and potions. It is even sewn up in clothes as a preventive of disease.

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

There is an herb, also, or fairy grass, called the Faud Shaughran, or the ?stray sod,? and whoever treads the path it grows on is compelled by an irresistible impulse to travel on without stopping, all through the night, delirious and restless, over bog and mountain, through hedges and ditches, till wearied and bruised and cut, his garments torn, his hands bleeding, he finds himself in the morning twenty or thirty miles, perhaps, from his own home. And those who fall under this strange influence have all the time the sensation of flying and are utterly unable to pause or turn back or change their career. There is, however, another herb that can neutralize the effect of the Faud Shaughran, but only the initiated can utilize its mystic properties.

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

Another grass is the Fair-Gortha, or the ?hunger-stricken sod,? and if the hapless traveler accidentally treads on the grass by the road-side, while passing on a journey, either by night or day, he becomes at once seized with the most extraordinary cravings of hunger and weakness, and unless timely relief is afforded he must certainly die.

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

All herbs pulled on May Day Eve have a sacred healing power, if pulled in the name of the Holy Trinity; but if in the name of Satan, they work evil. Some herbs are malefic if broken by the hand. So the plant is tied to a dog?s foot, and when he runs it breaks, without a hand touching it, and may be used with safety.

A man pulled a certain herb on May Eve to cure his son who was sick to death. The boy recovered, but disappeared and was never heard of after, and the father died that day year. He had broken the fatal herb with the hand and so the doom fell on him.

Another man did the like, and gave the herb to his son to eat, who immediately began to bark like a dog, and so continued till he died.

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

Pettigrew, in his interesting book on medical superstitions, mentions the ancient idea that black hellebore was to be plucked, not cut, and this with the right hand, which was then covered with the robe, wile the herb was secretly conveyed to the left hand. The person gathering it, also, was to be clad in white, and to offer a sacrifice of bread and wine.

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

Pettigrew also mentions that vervain, one of the sacred herbs of the Irish, was to be gathered on the rising of the Dog-star, when neither sum nor moon was shining, an expiatory sacrifice of fruit and honey being previously offered tot the earth. Hence the power of vervain to cure fevers, eradicate poison, and render the possessor invulnerable.

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

The fatal herbs have signs known only to the fairy doctors, who should always be consulted before treating the sick in the family.

There are seven herbs that nothing natural or supernatural can injure; they are vervaine, John?s wort, speedwell, eyebright, mallow, yallow and self help. But they must be pulled at noon on a bright day, neat the full moon, to have full power.

[maggiemahone1]

Verbena stimulates the gastrointestinal tract.

St. John's Wort used for mood swing and depression.

Eyebright used for sinusitis and conjunctivitis.

Mallow for anti-inflamatory.

I guess the self help is help yourself.

Anyone know what speedwell and yallow is?

The main thing is don't make the fairy doctor's mad!

maggiemahone1

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

It is firmly believed that the herb women who perform curses receive their knowledge from the fairies, who impart to them the mystical secretes of herbs and where to find them; but these secrets must not be revealed except on the death bed, and then only to the eldest of the family. Many mysterious rites are messenger who carries the draught to the sufferer must never look behind him nor utter a word till he hands the medicine to the patient, who instantly swallows a cup of the mixture before other hands have touched it.

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

The yew tree, the ash and the elder tree were sacred.

[Richard Bercot]

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

The juice of deadly night shade distilled, and given in a drink, well make the person who drinks believe whatever you will to tell him, and choose him to believe.