Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions

42 hdsh Druids,
—
it is written, " The Bards and Sennachees retained their
office, and some degree of their former estimation among
the nobihty of Caledonia and Ireland, till
the House of Hanover."
the accession of
" Nothing can prove," says O'Beirne Crowe, " the late
introduction of Druidism into our country more satisfactorily
than the utter contempt in which the name bard is
held in all our records.—After the introduction of our
irregular system of Druidism, which must have been about
the second century of the Christian era, the Fills (bard) had
to fall into something like the position of the British Bards
hence we see them, down to a late period — practising incantations
like the Magi of the continent, and in religious
matters holding extensive sway."
Ossianic literature had a higher opinion of the Bards ;
as, " Such were the words of the Bards in the days of the
Song
;
when the King heard the music of harps and the
tales of other times. The chiefs gathered from all their
hills, and heard the lovely sound. They praised the voice
of Cona, the first among a thousand bards." Again, " Sit
thou on the heath, O Bard ! and let us hear thy voice. It
is pleasant as the gale of the spring, that sighs on the
hunter's ear, when he wakens from dreams of joy, and has
heard the music of the spirits of the hill.—The music of
Cardil was like the memory of joys that are past, pleasant,
and mournful to the soul. The ghosts of departed Bards
heard it." " My life," exclaimed Fingal, " shall be one
stream of light to Bards of other times." Cathmor cried,
" Loose the Bards. Their voice shall be heard in other
ages, when the Kings of Temora have failed."
Keating, amusingly credulous as an Irish historian,
records with gravity the story of an ancient militia,
numbering nine thousand in time of peace, who had both
Serjeants and colonels.
Into the ranks of these Flue Elrlon