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Old Irish Blessings using The Rowan Tree

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A chara,

I was looking out my window wondering what you might like to hear about and my eye was drawn to the gorgeous rowan tree at the end of my driveway and so much that I need to tell you came flooding through my mind. In this letter, I am going to start with the Old Irish blessings about these trees and using them in your home for luck, protection and fun with the kids. As always, I will tell you these things as I have heard them here in Ireland. I do have a true Irish ghost story about the rowan tree. Let me know if you would like to hear about this in my next letter.

In today’s newsletter there is…

• Rowanberry jelly – Glóthach chaora caorthainn

• The Rowan Tree Blessings (an crann caorthainn)

• How to Increase Your Luck with the Rowan Tree

• How to Tell the Future Using the Rowan Tree

• How to Protect Your Home Using the Rowan Tree

A Little Reminder…

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Slán go fóill,

Róisín Hynes

Rowanberry jelly – (Glóthach chaora caorthainn)

I once heard an Irish tree expert and folklorist say that you should always wear gloves when handling rowan berries and that they should never be picked by small children. This is because rowan berries can be dangerous if not handled correctly. When raw, they contain toxic parasorbic acid which can cause kidney damage, indigestion and congestion. Once cooked or frozen, the parasorbic acid is converted into harmless sorbic acid, which is digestible and safe to eat. The Rowan tree has many medicinal qualities because the berries are high in Vitamin C and contain beneficial acids and sugars. Ripe berries are mildly purgative and diuretic and have been used to make tonics.

When mixed with sugar, they make delicious jellies, jams, juices, and wines and the berries can be used in a variety of alcoholic drinks. The Scots made a strong spirit from the berries, the Welsh brewed ale from them and the Irish used them to flavor mead, a beer made from honey.

The berries can be made into remedies for cleansing the kidneys and blood, balancing the digestive system, strengthening the immune system, and helping with sore throats or bronchitis. An Irish herbalist will be able to help create a tonic, rather than you attempting to make one at home. Alternatively, I have a recipe below for rowanberry jelly, which is considered one of the finest jellies to be matched with cold meats.

Ingredients:

• Two large cooking apples

• 1 1/2 kilograms of rowanberries

• White preserving sugar

Method:

Do not peel or core the apples, instead chopped them up and place them along with the rowan berries into a large pot and barely cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and continue boiling for 40 minutes, then pour them into a jelly bag or a piece of muslin and leave to drip overnight. Measure the liquid and pour into a large saucepan. For every pint of the dripped juice add 1 lb. of sugar. Bring it to the boil, stirring to make sure that the sugar completely dissolves and boil briskly until it reaches a temperature of 104 degrees Celsius, 220°F or until a few drops on a cold plate jell. Then pour at once into sterilized, heated jars and seal.

The Rowan Tree (an crann caorthainn) Blessings

The rowan tree has a long, sacred history. Since ancient times, people have planted Rowan beside their homes for protection against the fairies and the dead.

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