Ogham Straif: the blackthorn letter, meaning, history and reading

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The letter Straif in the alphabet

Straif is the fourteenth letter of the ogham alphabet and the fourth of the M group: four oblique strokes cross the baseline. It is one of the most enigmatic letters of the alphabet, because its sound value has not been established.

The manuscripts transcribe it with a Latin Z. Linguists put forward several hypotheses: an [st] sound, an affricate [ts], a sibilant distinct from s, or even [sw]. It is rare on stones and does not change the reading of proper names. Here are the key facts:

Reference	Detail
Rank	14th of the 20 main letters
Group (aicme)	Aicme Muine (M group): 4 strokes, oblique strokes crossing the baseline
Sound value	uncertain: possibly [st], [ts], or a sibilant distinct from s
Tree or plant in the manuscripts	Blackthorn (draighean)

The name and its meaning: what the sources say

The name is written in several ways in the manuscripts (straif, straiph, sraif, sraib…). The most likely meaning is “sulphur”, which specialists connect with the biblical brimstone (sulphur) (Isaiah 30:33 is cited). This meaning has nothing to do with a tree.

The blackthorn (draighean in Irish) is the plant the glossators attribute to the letter, according to the Auraicept na n-Éces. The reasoning that leads there passes through an additional kenning, “chief of the streams” (aire srábae), whose logic is hard to reconstruct. Two things should therefore be kept in mind: the name probably means “sulphur”, and the link with the blackthorn is a tradition of the glossators.

The associated tree or plant

The blackthorn or sloe (Prunus spinosa) is a thorny shrub of hedgerows and woodland edges. It flowers in March and April, usually before the leaves appear, in a cloud of small white flowers. Its fruit, the sloes, are sour and are eaten after the first frosts, as a liqueur or jam. Its hard wood has long been used for walking sticks, including the Irish shillelagh. The leaves and kernels should not be eaten.

In Graves's tree calendar (1948), which has only thirteen months, Straif has no month: the letter is left out. This says enough about the constructed nature of that calendar.

The three portraits of the name (bríatharogam)

The three medieval lists evoke colour, secrecy and the sky, with an obscurity that invites discussion:

List	Old Irish expression	Approximate meaning
Morann mac Moín	tressam rúamnai	the strongest of glows
Mac ind Óc	mórad rún	increase of secrets
Cú Chulainn	saigid nél	pursuit of the clouds (perhaps “arrow of the clouds”, lightning; doubtful text)

These expressions are hard to translate: some may be corrupt, and the proposed translations are approximate. They are not reading instructions, only medieval images.

Modern divinatory reading

Modern readings make Straif the letter of trial, necessity, tenacity and protection: the blackthorn is prickly and hard to approach, yet its flowers announce spring. It is associated with an obstacle to be crossed, and with a strength that reveals itself under constraint.

Other authors prefer caution: an obscure letter onto which everyone projects what they wish. Keep this reservation in mind: an alphabet this incomplete cannot support a single fixed reading.

These meanings are modern: they come from ogham games and books published from the late twentieth century onward, and their authors do not always agree. Nothing proves that ogham was used for divination in ancient Ireland.

A reflective exercise

Think of a difficulty you have been through. Note what it asked of you, then what it taught you. Draw Straif and ask yourself which defence in your life is useful and which has become a barrier. The exercise is meant to help you understand a past trial, not to announce a future one.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to Ogham.