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Intro Mary Garden
"Mhuire" and "Mary" Plants Growing Wild in
Ireland
Sean MacNamara, C.F.C. The Knock Mary Garden, 1987
Here in Ireland, because of our love
and reverence for Mary, the Mother of God,
we have a special Irish word for her -
Muire. The name Muire has been set aside
and kept sacred for Our Lady, and all other
women having Mary as their Patroness are
called Maire. The only exception is in the
case of our own St. Brigid, who is honoured
with the title of Muire na nGael.
The following is a list of wild
plants, which have the special Irish word
"Muire" as part of their name (in the possessive "Mhuire", "of Mary"):
Botanical Names Common Names Muire Names
Ranunculus auricomus Wood Goldilocks Gruaig Mhuire
"Mary's Hair"
Cardamine pratensis Cuckoo flower Leine Mhuire
Bitter Cress "Mary's Smock"
Ladies Smock
Sisymbrium sophia Flaxweed Fineal Mhuire
Descurainia sophia "Mary's Fennel"
Hypericum pulchrum Elegant St.John's Wort Allus Mhuire
"Mary's Sweat"
Anthyllis vulneraria Kidney Vetch Meoir Mhuire
"Mary's Fingers
Alchemilla vulgaris Common Lady's Mantle Bratog Mhuire
"Mary's Mantle"
Saxifraga granulata Meadow Saxifrage Mionan Mhuire
"Mary's Saxifrage"
Scleranthus annus Knawel Cabhair Mhuire
"Mary's Help"
Drosera anglica Great Sundew Caibs Mhuire
"Mary's Chalice"
Angelica sylvestris Wild Angelica Cuinneog Mhuire
"Mary's Church"
Lysimachia nemorum Yellow Pimpernel Seamar Mhuire
"Mary's Clover"
Centaurium erythraea Common Centaury Dreimire Mhuire
"Mary's Ladder"
Verbascum thapsus Common Mullein Coinneall Mhuire
"Mary's Candle"
Spiranthes spiralis Autumn Lady's Tresses Cuilin Mhuire
"Mary's Tresses"
Athyrium filix-femina Lady Fern Raithneach Mhuire
"Mary's Fern"
Veronica beccabunga Brooklime Biolar Mhuire
"Mary's Cress"
Lamium amplexi-caule Henbit Neanntog Mhuire
"Mary's Nettle"
Potentilla reptans Creeping Cinquefoil Cuig Mhear Mhuire
"Mary's Five
Fingers"
Galium verum Lady's Bedstraw Ru Mhuire
"Mary's Rue"
Rosa rubiginosa Sweet Briar Ros na Bainriona
Mhuire
"Queen Mary's
Rose"
Scleranthus annuas Knawel Cabhair Mhuire
"Mary's Help"
Allium ursinum Ramsons Gairleog Mhuire
"Mary's Garlic"
Ulex europaeus Gorse Aiteann Mhuire
"Mary's Furze"
Lycopodium selago Fir Clubmoss Aitcann Mhuire
"Mary's Furze"
Eupatorium cannibinum Hemp Agrimony Scothog Mhuire
"Mary's Blossom"
Bidens Cernua Nodding Bur Marigold Sceachog Mhuire
"Mary's Little
Thorn Bush"
Calendula officinalis* Garden Marigold Blath Mhuire
"May's Blossom"
Or Mhuire
"Mary's Gold"
*not regarded as wild in Ireland:
The religion of early Ireland consisted
chiefly of nature worship. It is a recorded fact
that our missionary saints, in particular Fiacre,
Gall and Columba were plant lovers, and they, like
their anecstors, were always on the alert to find
God in nature. A study of our native flora in our
own language enables us to appreciate some of the
literary, aesthetic and religious possessions of
our ancestors.
Before I tell you a little about some of
the 180 or more wild plants which grow in Ireland
and which are all associated with Our Lady - in Gaelic, as listed
above, and in English - I wish to tell you that authorities
including The Oxford English Dictionary are in agreement that the
words "Lady, "Lady's" and "Ladies" in the older English plant names
are almost always foreshortenings of "Our Lady". Similarly,
"Virgin", "Virgin's" and "Mary's" are considered in most cases as
referring to the Virgin Mary. "Maiden" and "Queen" in popular plant
names are frequently paralleled by "Lady" and "Mary" in alternate
namings, and show the widerspread historical transferral of feminine
plant symbolism in other traditions to the Virgin Mary in Christian
tradition.
Some of our native wild plants which have "Mary" names are
plentiful while others can only be found in one place - like Adoxa
moschatellina, Moschatel, Lady's Mantle, a dwarf weak hairless
perennial found only near Belfast. Alchemilla alpina, Alpine
Lady's Mantle, Lady's Mantle, in Irish, Trusgan is a low perennial
which can be found only in South Kerry and Wicklow. Hierochloe
odorata, Holy Grass, Mary's Grass is a very rare, almost hairless
creeping perennial, and only to be found along the shores of Lough
Neagh. Marrubium vulgare, White Horehound, Mary's Nettle, in
Irish Grafan Bin is a 30-45 cm. high perennial with white flowers
and is to be found only in Carlow.
Matricaria recutita, Scented Mayweed,
Lady's Flower is a poigantly aromatic annual,
somewhat like the widespread scentless
Mayweed. It has only been recorded from
Dublin. Oxalis corniculata, Sleeping Beauty,
Lady Sorrel is a downy perennial with yellow
flower and can be found in Louth, Antrim and
Down. Tamus communis, Black Bryony, Lady's
Signet is the only member of the Yam Family
and is a perennial climber which twines
clockwise and the only place it has been
found is around Lough Gill in Sligo. It
bears fruits resembling seals. It has
long been associated as the emblem of the Madonna, commemorating
the Feast of the Nativity, a festival dating back to 695 A.D.
Other interesting wild plants associated with Our Lady
include the scarce Adiantum capillus-Veneris, Maidenhair Fern,
Lady's Hair. The name in Irish is very descriptive, Dubhchosach
(black-footed) as the stems are black, shiny and wiry. The pale
green leaflets vary in size, and are fan shaped. This rare fern
was known as "Freyia's Hair" in the Scandinavian sagas. In
England it became known as Our Lady's Hair and "Maria's Fern".
While it has been recorded in West and North-East Galway, West
Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Fermanagh and West Donegal, it seems to be
most plentiful in the Burren where I have seen it. Cardamine
Pratensis, referred to as Our Lady's Smock, in Irish Leine Mhuire
is to be found in every county. It flowers all over Europe at
Ladytide and is known as Our Lady's Flower. While in Lourdes some
years ago during Easter I saw it growing in profusion in damp
meadows on the road to Bartres. It is the cuckoo-flower and the
milkymaid in Devonshire lore.
Digitalis purpurea, our familiar Foxglove, was referred to
as Mary's thimble, her fingers and her gloves. In French called
"gant de Notre Dame", in German "Frauen Handschick", and in
English "Our Lady's Glove". Dipsacus fullonum, Teasel, has leaves
that grow around the stem which, when united at the base form a
basin for dew or rain. At first it was known as Venus' basin and
later, Our Lady's Basin. The spiked heads were used for centuries
to raise the nap on wool and thus we get the apt Irish name Lus an
Fhucadora - the Fuller's Herb. These spiked heads of the Fuller's
Teasel were known in some regions as Our Lady's Little Brushes,
calling to mind Mary's motherly care for the infant Saviour's
hair.
Dryas octopetala, Mountain Avens is an Arctic and Alpine
plant, which has eight or more creamy-white petals and small
oak-like dark green leaves. In the Burren you can see sheets of
it in bloom from April to July. This rare and very attractive
plant is known as Lady's Rose. Fuchsia magellanica is a deciduous
shrub with very attractive flowers from June onwards and is a very
common hedge plant in the West and South of Ireland. The
beautiful pendant blooms were seen as Our Lady's Eardrops, fitting
adornment for the ears which received the Angel's message of the
Annunciation. The lovely Irish name is Deora De (God's tears).
Galium verum, Lady's Bedstraw, is to be found in every county and
is also a native of Palestine. According to an old legend it was
the natural bedding on which Mary laid the Holy Child in the
manger at Bethlehem. The artist, Poussin, painted a "Nativity" in
which this herb appears.
Polypodium vulgare (rock polypody),
in Irish, Sceamh na gCloch, was called
"Marie Bregne" because it was said to have
sprung from drops of her milk which fell on
the ground when she fed the infant Saviour.
Scandix pecten-veneris, Lady's Comb, is to
be found in Wexford, Carlow, Wicklow, Louth
and Tyrone. The slender, tapering seedpod
beaks, set together like teeth resembling a
comb. Viola tricolor, Pansy, because of its
three colours in its native form; yellow,
blue and white, was adopted as a symbol of
the Holy Trinity and was named Trinity Flower.
It was also named Our Lady's Delight, suggesting Our Lady's
beholding of it.
Verbascum thapsus, Common Mullein, is a tall biennial
having yellow flowers (June-August), and from its resemblance to
the large candles kept lighted on Our Lady's altar in many
churches, it was named Our Lady's Candle. Myosotis scorpioides,
Water Forget-me-Not, Mary's Eyes. This common, but attractive
perennial, with "tiny blue eyes with golden centres" is a reminder
of Our Lady's pure eyes for all peoples until the end of time.
Medicago lupulina, Black Medick, Lady's Hop, is a very common low,
often prostrate, annual, with trefoil leaves and small yellow
flowers. It is also called Gold Chain or Rosary due, no doubt, to
the appearance of its flowers.
Cytisus scoparius, Broom, Giolcach, Lady's Slipper, is a
very common deciduous shrub, which has bright golden-yellow
flowers during May and June. The active principles Scoparin and
Spartein are contained in the terminal twigs. Before the arrival
of the modern disinfectant, broom twigs were burned to fumigate
places. Fragaria vesca, Wild Strawberry, is to be found in every
vice-county and was considered sacred to Mary, who accompanied
children on St. John's Day to pick strawberries. On that day no
mother who has lost a child will eat a strawberry, lest her little
one will get none in Paradise. This tradition goes back to old
German mythology wherein the goddess Frigga, who presided over
marriages, was supposed to go strawberry picking. Veronica
beccabunga, Brooklime, Biolar Mhuire, is a perennial plant which
is widespread and common in wet places. All the varieties except
V. officinalis, were used in coughs proceeding from chest trouble
of any kind.
Orchis mascula, Early Purple Orchid, Lady's Tears, is also
called Magairlin Meidhreach. It is mentioned in Brian Merriman's
famous poem, Cuirt an Mhein Oiche. Anemone nemorosa, Wood
Anemone, Lus na Gaoithe, has several "Mary" names - Lady's
Milkcans, Lady's Petticoat, Lady's Nightcap, Lady's Purse and
Lady's Shimmy. This harbinger of Spring is worth looking at. I
saw a very large number in full bloom in the copse beside the
Burren Perfumery on April 14th, 1977. Saxifraga spathularis, St.
Patrick's Cabbage, Cabdiste an Mhadra Rua, Lady's Needlework, is
very plentiful at the famous Connor Pass near Dingle where I had
the privilege of seeing this rare plant. It is said that an
Englishman named London took some specimens back home to grow in
his garden and thus this rare plant became "London Pride". Last,
but not least, is the scarce Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Blue-Eyed
Grass, Blue-Eyed Mary. I understand that this plant has come to
us from the Eastern states of America and was just discovered in
Galway in 1845. N.B.: Omphalodes verna, Blue-Eyed Mary, does not
grow in Ireland.
Reprinted with permission.
Photos: Mary's Gardens