Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions

—
Idol-Worship.
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slattghter, many supposed sacrifices were offered to the
idol.
The Patron Saint made war against Crom.
An old writer
in 1695 said— "Nosooner did he then eleuatc his pure handes
in prayer for the subuersion of the Idol, and had after a
threatening manner lifted up the Rod of Jesus against it,
but it fell downe upon the left side, and all the gold and
silver dissolved into dust, the little gods were swallowed vp
by the earth, euen to their neckes."
In the Four Masters is this version— " Crom Cruach
stood near a river called Gathard, and St. Patrick erected a
church near at Domhnachmor." Then they added, 'vXccording
to Dinnsenchus (the geographer), this was the principal
idol of all the colonies that settled in Ireland, from the
earliest period to the time of St. Patrick, and they were
wont to offer to it the firstlings of animals, and other
offerings."
An inscription in Ogham tells that " in it Cruach was,
and twelve idols of stone around him, and himself of
gold." Another testimony is that it had much gold and
silver, with twelve brass idols round it, as if in reference to
the zodiac.
We are informed, that, when struck by St.
Patrick, with
his staff of Jesus, the image fell to the west, with the impression
of the rod on its side, the twelve stone gods sinking
into the ground. When the Saint called aloud for the
Devil to come forth from the image, an ugly black fellow
appeared, upon whom the Saint threw himself in anger.
In the struggle, he lost a button from his coat. Though
found soon after on the heath, nothing could grow on the
spot ever after.
:
Toland, in 1728, had this account
"The chiefest in all Ireland was Crom Cruach, which
stood in the midst of a circle of twelve obliscs on a hill m