Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions

202 Old Irish Religions.
Mrs. Bryant, however, asserts that "there is more trace
of sun and fire-worship in the peasantry Hngering among
us to-day, than in the Bardic Hterature of the remote Irish
past." Dr. Waddell, in Ossiaii and tJie Clyde, has no doubt
of fire-worship being extant in Ossian's days. Dr. O'Brennan
thinks that the Gadelians or Gaels everywhere they went
estabhshed fire-worship. The GabJia-BJieil was an ordeal
by fire.
Two sects were said to be in the island—the Baalites, or
fire adorers, and the Lirites, or devotees of water. O' Kearney
tells us—
'*
It is probable that very violent contentions were
once carried on in Ireland by the partizans of the rival
religions, who were accustomed to meet and decide their
quarrels at the place set apart for battle." The Samliaisgs
were devoted to fire-worship, and the Sivans to Lir
worship.
May-day in Ireland was very strictly observed, as it had
been in Babylon ages before.
*'
Even now," says IMrs.
Bryant, " in remote places, if the fire goes out in a peasant's
house before the morning of the first of May, a lighted sod
from the priest's house to kindle it is highly esteemed." On
that day they once burnt hares, from a fancy that they
stole the butter.
The eve of May-day was a tryincr time, as fairies were
then extra frolicsome in stealing the milk. For preventative,
the cows were driven through fires, as in distant
pagan days. According to Hone (1825), in Dublin, folks
would cast horses' heads into the bonfire ; horses were sun
animals. May-eve rejoicings were known by the name of
Nech-na-Bealtaine. According to the Book of Rig/its,
Ultonian kings were not to bathe on May-day. O'Conor
remarks that the May fire ceremonies were transferred
by St. Patrick to the 24th of June, John Baptist's day.
Leaping through fire symbolized human sacrifice.