Irish Druids And Old Irish Religions PREFACE CONTENTS

More documents

Recommendations

Info

IRISH DRUIDISM 10 ST. PATRICK AND THE DRUIDS 27 OPINIONS ON IRISH DRUIDS 31 IRISH BARDS 37 ISLE OF MAN DRUIDISM 44 FRENCH DRUIDISM 45 GERMAN DRUIDISM 49 DRUIDICAL MAGIC 50 NEO-DRUDISM 62 DRUIDICAL BELIEF 64 DRUIDICAL MYSTICISM 71 PART II EARLY RELIGIONS OF THE IRISH INTRODUCTION 76 IRISH SUPERSTITIONS 79 IRISH MAGIC AND TUATH DE DANAANS 101 IRISH GODS 116 IDOL-WORSHIP 157 p. VIII SERPENT FAITH 168 SUN-WORSHIP 189 FIRE-WORSHIP 198 STONE-WORSHIP 198 ANIMAL WORSHIP 211 THE SHAMROCK, AND OTHER SACRED PLANTS 232 WELL-WORSHIP 238 HOLY BELLS 244 IRISH CROSSES 247 THE SACRED TARA HILL 257 file:///I|/mythology/witchcraft/8/8.html (2 of 114) [02/05/2004 8:38:13 AM]
ROUND TOWER CREED 263 OSSIAN THE BARD 274 THE CULDEES OF DRUIDICAL DAYS 279 THE FUTURE LIFE, OR LAND OF THE WEST 286 ANCIENT IRISH LITERATURE 303 THE LIA FAIL, OR THE STONE OF DESTINY 313 Redactors' Note: The page references for sub-sections in the above table may not link to the correct file since the sub-sections often start in the middle of the page; the links above will in most cases lead to the final page in the file before the given sub-section. The main index file has links to the correct files. p. 1 Who were the Druids? IRISH DRUIDS This question has agitated the minds of the learned for a long period; and various, as well as contradictory, have been the replies. Tradition preserves their memory as of a pious and superior race, prominently associated with the British Isles and France, and, in a lesser degree, with Belgium, Holland, Germany, and the lands of Scandinavia. Much romance has been long attached to them. We hear their chants in the Stone Circles. We listen to the heaven-inspired utterances of the Archdruid, as be stands on the capstone of a cromlech, in the eye of the sun, surrounded by the white-robed throng, with the bowed worshippers afar. We see the golden sickle reverently cutting off the sacred mistletoe. We follow, in imagination, the solemn procession, headed by the cross-bearer. We look under the old oak at the aged Druid, instructing disciples in mystic lore, in verses never to be committed to writing. We gaze upon the assembly of kings and chieftains, before whom the wise men debate upon some points of legislation. Then, again, we recognize the priests as patriots, resisting the invaders of their homes, and loudly chanting the Battle Hymn. We are at the convocation of Brehons, in their p. 2 deliberations on law, and, awestruck, wait upon the observers of sun and stars, or of the signs of the times in the investigation of terrestrial phenomena. We go with them to the judgment upon offenders of an unwritten code, and witness the dread ordeal, or the fiery human sacrifice. But our inquiry is, What has Irish tradition or literature to say to these interesting details concerning Druids? Were the Irish Druids like those of whom we read belonging to other lands? Did they spring up from among the Irish people, or were they strangers from another and distant shore? Could they have formed a distinct community, like the tribe of Levi, intermarrying among themselves only? Amidst much ignorance, and even barbarism, can the Druids have been distinguished by the learning and refinement attributed to them? With our conceptions of the ancient religions of Ireland, should we credit the Druids with the introduction 'of Sun worship, Serpent reverence, and the adoration of Idols? Were they, on the contrary, new corners, arriving subsequent to the establishment of these various forms of paganism, and merely known a little before the rise of Christianity in Erin? WELSH OR BRITISH DRUIDISM. Druidism has been of late years so persistently appropriated by the Welsh, that English, Scotch, and Irish have seemed to have no part in the property. Even Stonehenge has been claimed by the Welsh, on the very doubtful story of the Britons, Cæsar's Teutonic Belgæ, being driven by Romans to Wales. The true Welsh--the Silures, or Iberians--were in the land before the Romans appeared. Gaels from Ireland, Cymry from Scotland and England, Belgæ from Germany, Bretons, Britons, Saxons, Normans, file:///I|/mythology/witchcraft/8/8.html (3 of 114) [02/05/2004 8:38:13 AM]
Page 1: p. iii Irish Druids And Old Irish R
Page 5 and 6: p. 6 with the Irish Carrick. Carric
Page 7 and 8: This, perhaps, the ordinary and mos
Page 9 and 10: ear cups. Torques are often spiral.
Page 11 and 12: Spiritualists we can assign the Dru
Page 13 and 14: ecome a Christian. p. 30 Colgan con
Page 15 and 16: p. 36 but the charlatanerie of barb
Page 17 and 18: it is written, "The Bards and Senna
Page 19 and 20: p. 48 that in the time of Pliny tra
Page 21 and 22: Through that, Cormac, grandson of C
Page 23 and 24: A fine poem--The Fate of the Son of
Page 25 and 26: Dr. A. G. Richey, Q. C., when quoti
Page 27 and 28: "The strict bond of secrecy--the oa
Page 29 and 30: few histories are so charged with f
Page 31 and 32: and the appearance of clouds. Prodi
Page 33 and 34: who were hired for the purpose; but
Page 35 and 36: As elsewhere noted, the Irish fairi
Page 37 and 38: "She was like the new moon seen thr
Page 39 and 40: When by some blasting ban-- Ah! pit
Page 41 and 42: procuring answers to questions. Cio
Page 43 and 44: chapters of what has been usually r
Page 45 and 46: Patrick." The Mother of the Irish g
Page 47 and 48: fountains, or rivers. Seeing his pa
Page 49 and 50: Jocelin, an interesting romancer, s
Page 51 and 52: As the Revue Celtique contains a we
Page 53 and 54:
xii. 30, we read, "Their sons and t
Page 55 and 56:
ecclesiastical supervision, dispute
Page 57 and 58:
astonished at a similar weakness in
Page 59 and 60:
ceremonies. The Gentleman's Magazin
Page 61 and 62:
Although tradition declares that al
Page 63 and 64:
them. Fionn, in particular, was the
Page 65 and 66:
Isles of the Pacific, alike in swel
Page 67 and 68:
p. 185 the eternal foe of the would
Page 69 and 70:
enter the great hail of the Nile te
Page 71 and 72:
A Scotch writer observes--"The hear
Page 73 and 74:
Two sects were said to be in the is
Page 75 and 76:
threefold leaper. Before eating the
Page 77 and 78:
The Cabir doctrine came convenientl
Page 79 and 80:
inging a ship on shore, for the ben
Page 81 and 82:
greyhound. Elsewhere it is stated,
Page 83 and 84:
But Wit perceives The triple leaves
Page 85 and 86:
The Indian and Cingalese Bo or Asva
Page 87 and 88:
What was the age of Well-worship? T
Page 89 and 90:
The pagan crosses being just the sa
Page 91 and 92:
The base of the cross at Kells, Co.
Page 93 and 94:
When Widow Feelin, the guide,--wrin
Page 95 and 96:
on the top served as a warning of a
Page 97 and 98:
Anna Wilkes in Ireland, Ur of the C
Page 99 and 100:
semi-barbarous people, who were end
Page 101 and 102:
had wives they abstained from them,
Page 103 and 104:
Prof. Whitney thus speaks of the Hi
Page 105 and 106:
Ireland was associated with the wes
Page 107 and 108:
was to grant the request of the win
Page 109 and 110:
Normans were great patrons of monas
Page 111 and 112:
The Book of Invasions refers to "th
Page 113 and 114:
Keepe's Monumenta Westmonasteriensi
show all

Irish Druids And Old Irish Religions PREFACE CONTENTS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?