Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions

Irish Druidis77i. lo
but, from the firmament to the earth, 3024 miles. As the
shell is about the egg, so is the firmament around the
earth. The firmament is a mighty sheet of crystal. The
twelve constellations represent the year, as the sun runs
through one each month.
We are also informed that " Brigh Ambui was a female
author of wisdom and prudence among the men of Erin
after her came Connla Cainbhrethach, chief doctor of Connaught.
He excelled the men of Erin in wisdom, for he
was filled with the grace of the Holy Ghost ; he used to
contend with the Druids, who said that it was they that
made heaven and the earth and the sea— and the sun and
moon." This SencJms Mor further stated that " when the
judges deviated from the truth of Nature, there appeared
blotches upon their cheelcs."
It is not surprising that Dr. Richey, :— in his Short History
''
of the Irish People, should write As to what Druidism
was, either in speculation or practice, we have very little
information.—As far as we can conjecture, their religion
must have consisted of tribal divinities and local rites. As
to the Druids themselves, we have no distinct information,"
He is not astonished that " authors (from the reaction)
are now found to deny the existence of Druids altogether."
He admits that, at the reputed time of St. Patrick, the
Druids "seem to be nothing more than the local
priests or
magicians attached to the several tribal chiefs,— perhaps
not better than the medicine-men of the
North-American
Indians."
As that period was prior to the earliest assumed for the
Welsh Taliesin, one is at a loss to account for the great
difference between
the two peoples, then so closely associated
in intercourse.
The opinion of the able O'Beirne Crowe is thus expressed
:— " After the introduction of our (Irish) irregular