Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions

Irish Gods.
i ^q
of the Saints of Ireland bear Aryan and Semitic names.
Again, " They (the missionaries) found it neccssar\-, in
many cases, to preserve to the Christian faith the names of
many of the gods and heroes of their forefathers." She
instances St. Molach, St. Dagan, St. Duil, St. Satan, St.
Di'ch)ul, St. Cronan, &c. Another points out that St.
Liian is derived from Lune or Lugedus ; St. Ikilcain from
Vulcan ;
St. Ciaran from the Centaur Chiron
;
and
St.
Dcclan from Declain, the Irish god of generation. M,
Sonnerat held that St. Shannon was the god DcarL^.
The author of Toivers and Temples of Ancient Ireland
derives St. Dint from Dia-Baal ; St. Maedog from Maedeog
of Virginity ;
and St. Earc from Earc/i, the sun. He
found 24 with the name of Colomb, 12 of Bridget, 25 of
Senan, 12 of Dichul, and 30 of Cronan.
He contended that Irish Hagiology " began to be committed
to writing about the tenth century " ; that " in after
times when it was thought desirable to ascribe ancient
legends to Christian Saints, all were Avithout distinction
referred to the fifth and sixth centuries, as of course no
celebrated Saint could have been ascribed to a period
before St. Patrick, and that "the ancient literature seems
to have been destroyed by the early Christians."
Although every one cannot be expected to fallow Marcus
Keane in opinion, there is much plausibilit\% if not reason,
in the assumption that some of the Irish Saints were
baptized deities of the Island.
Prof. Bevan, in a recent lecture at the Gresham College,
showed how the Celtic gods were Romanized. O-niius
became Mercury
;
Grannos, Apollo Caturix or Camulos,
;
Mars; Bridgit, Minerva; Esas, Jupiter. He thought the
Irish religion was partly of aboriginal forms of belief, and
partly Druidic. Reconsidered the transition fn -ni 1
)rui(lism
to Christianity a very gradual one. Luil cr Llud,