Like many ancient cultures the pagan Irish saw nature as integral to their lives; rivers, springs, trees, all had spirit life forces. Trees were considered sacred by the Druids. Each letter in the Ogham alphabet was associated with a tree. The Oak was particularly sacred to the Druids and its importance is reflected in the many place names in Ireland. The nine sacred hazel trees circled the pool where the Salmon of Knowledge fed. The ash and the hawthorn are associated with Fairy lore and even today people refuse to cut down the hawthorn tree. Above all, it is a symbol of the cycle of life and continuity of it