Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions

French Druidisui. ^-
under mist by his necromancy. " If he dreaded an cncm\',
he would cause one man to seem a hundred, and that by
Art Magic." King Finnan, 134 B.C., is said to have first
estabHshed Druids there. The Archdruid was known as
Kiou'dniaight, or Ard-driiaight. I'lowden thought the
Druids emigrated thither after the slaughter at .Alona ;
others declare Mona to have been an Irish Druidical
settlement. Sacheverell refers to Druidical cairns on the
tops of hills, which w^ere dedicated
to the Sun, and speaks
of hymns having what were called cairn tunes. Train
says, " So highly were the Manx Druids distinguished for
their knowledge of astronomy, astrology, and natural
philosophy, that the Kings of Scotland sent their sons to
be educated there." He thought that until 141 7, "in
imitation of the practice of the Druids, the laws of the
Island were locked up in the breasts of the Deemsters."
The old rude edifices of stone are still called Tinan
Druinich, or Druids' houses. McAlpine says that Druid
in Manx is Maglciaji.
FRENCH DRUIDISM.
The Deroo of Brittany were more ancient, said Ilcnri
Martin, than those Druids known to Romans
;
being
" primitive Druids, a sacerdotal caste of old Celts." Yet
Forlong, who believed the Gallic coast tribes long traded
and intermarried with the Phoenicians, saw abundant
''
evidences for their worshipping Astarte and Ileraklcs."
They were Saronid.ne, or judges. They were the builders,
masons, or like Gobhan Saer, free smiths. Of Saer, O'Brien
in his Round Toiuers says— " The first name ever given to
this body (Freemasons) was 5^?t'r, which has three significations:
firstly, /rcv; secondly, mason; and thirdly, son of