Last month, I observed a blue tit prying at the entryhole of a nestingbox, utilizing its bill akin to a dental scaler to remove minuscule shavings ofwood.
It’s a frequent event for these birds during this season, potentially aimed at widening the entrance or perhaps asserting their ownership of the box as a nesting spot, clearly indicating that spring has begun.
It hasn’t been difficult either, in recent weeks, to notice the snow-white blossoms bursting forth from hedgerows belonging to the shrubby blackthorn tree, another sign of spring’s presence.
The deep-colored branches stand out starkly against the five-petaled blooms they hold, which is how it got its name.
The blackthorn blossom serves as a crucial nectar and pollen supply for bees, particularly during late winter into early spring when food can be scarce. Additionally, various species of moth larvae feed on its leaves.
Occasionally mistaken for hawthorn, blackthorn blooms precede leaf emergence, whereas in the latter, flowers blossom among the foliage. The blackthorn’s acute thorns likely inspired its Irish moniker, ‘Draighean,’ translating to ‘bristly, irate, or miserable.’ This also contributed to an extensive body of folklore regarding its use as a defensive club and combat implement.
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The bush is widely recognized for its blue-black berries called sloes, which continue to be utilized in making jams, gins, and wines. Though commonly spotted in hedges, it also thrives naturally in woodlands and forests.
The tree has made an appearance in various songs and poems. In the traditional Irish love ballad “An Droighneán Donn,” which dates back to the latter part of the 18th century, the brown thorn tree or sloe tree serves as a backdrop for a young woman’s expression of sadness and longing. Within this song whose origins remain unclear, her affection is likened to “the bloom of the sloe upon the blackthorn.”
A poem from 1740 found in archival material in Trinity College, Dublin, has a Murrough O Connor describing blackthorn battles in Kerry, “where many a fight at fairs and patrons stood”.
At first, the disagreement may have started over some matter at the fair, but quickly, “Hats and coats fly off as the brawl starts / While some aim for heads, others target legs’ shins / Cudgels twist around their brows in fierce impacts.”
The resilience of the blackthorn stick is emphasized in the poem through the verses, “A scimitar cannot penetrate that hardened timber,” and “It will flex from strikes yet never break.”
Because of this hardwearing trait, the blackthorn has been traditionally used to make walking sticks and, of course, witches’ wands and staffs. A good burner, it was also suitable for firewood.
The blackthorn also appears in “Buile Suibhne” where Mad Sweeney describes it as “a prickly basket/dotted with dark sloes.”
In the medieval tale “The Death of King Fergus,” Iubhdán, who rules over the fairy folk, shares a verse celebrating the qualities and attributes of different trees. He speaks about the blackthorn tree, stating, “Rugged rogue is the blackthorn, one whom no artisan would kindle; despite its meagerness, birds flock to it and call out from within.”
Under Irish Brehon law, trees were classified into four groups primarily according to their economic value, with regulations dictating their usage and application.
Fines were levied against anyone who damaged, cut, or stripped the bark off the trees without the consent of the owner. The penalty, referred to as ‘díre,’ varied based on the significance of the tree but frequently required the surrender of one or more ‘milk cows.’
The hierarchical list included the nobles, the lesser ranks (such as the blackthorn), the commoners, and the shrubs.
Many tales revolve around the captivating blackthorn, known for its resilience, protective qualities, and sinister nature, all woven into the mythological narratives of our distant history.