Holly

Holly is associated with Christmas. Her English name is a derivative of Holy, with her berries representing the blood of Christ and her thorns the crown of thorns. She was always important in Ireland though, being linked to Lugh and in ancient times her season was the switch over from summer to winter, Lughnasa when she flowered. Holly is a Crann Uasal (noble tree). It is a symbol of strength and champions with spears and chariot poles being made from it. Young shoots were also fed to livestock and it is said to have magical protective and purification powers.

Holly appears many times in An Táin, CùChulainn being of Lugh and in the story of Midir it could nearly be blamed for the whole saga. Midir came to visit Aengus, found him on the mound of Sid in Broga at Samhain, with two companies of youth at play before him in the Brug, and Elcmar on the mound of Cleitech watching them. When a quarrel broke out Midir intervened and a split of holly was thrown at him knocking out his eye. Diancecht cured him but he demanded compensation. Etain was part of that.