Ogham: Divining in the Celtic Way is a definite must for anyone looking to learn about Ogham as a method of divination.
The set consists of 25 Ogham cards, printed on lovely card stock in rich but muted colours for each aicme (or “family” of cards) based on the “few” or fedha marked on them.
Included with the cards is a 175-page booklet with a short but succinct introduction to the cards and the meanings behind the number of fews on a given card— for example, single-stroke fews represent “the underworld, found under the sea”, and five-stroke fews are representative of “the otherworld, the higher realms above”. The book goes through each card, grouped in its given family, or aicme, starting with single-stroke cards, through to the five-stroke cards, and gives thorough explanations on how to read the cards and understand their meanings.
Matthews also provides a number of possible card spreads for the reader to use, with illustrations of the spreads and when and why you might want to use that given spread.
I decided on doing a three-card spread (Brigid’s Triple) for myself, and shuffled while focused on the question of “Should I pursue further education that will lead to new work?” The cards are laid from the bottom up as follows: Fern, Tinne, and Huath. The first card, Fern, represents is the root of the question; the second, Tinne, is what is currently happening, and the third card, Huath, is the potential outcome.
* The root of my question (Fern) is being open to improvement and being sure about why I might pursue further education, while also looking at my past work experiences and being truthful with myself about those.
* Currently (Tinne), I need to be aware of making impulsive decisions that might come back to bite me, as well as my core values and beliefs in pursuing further education to ensure that I am being responsible and accountable.
* The potential outcome (Huath), is a warning of possible self-sabotage, bad external forces, and understanding the ways in which I might make things difficult for myself in this pursuit.
Given my understanding of this new-to-me divination system, I would approach any further education with caution and perhaps look further into my own aims and wished for outcomes – as well as my own shortcomings – before embarking on this new venture.
The book was very helpful in offering guidance and understanding, which I am sure would deepen the more I use the deck and come to see the nuances of each card more fully. In all, Matthews’s Ogham deck is an excellent addition to anyone’s library of divination tools!
~review by Mara McTavish
Author: Jane Matthews
Weiser Books, 2026
Pp. 175
