Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions

Drindical Magic.
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One way of calling spirits from the deep, to do one's will,
was to go to sleep with the palms of both hands upon the
cheek. The magic cauldron was not in such requirement
as with the Welsh. But it was a Druidic trick to take an
idol to bed, lay the hands to the face, and discover the
secret of a riddle in dreams. Another trick reminds one
of the skill of modern spiritualistic mediums, who could
discover the history of a man by a piece of his coat ; for,
Cormac read the whole life of a dog from the skull.
Healing powers were magical. Our forefathers fancied
that a part of enjoyment in heaven was fighting by day
and feasting at night, the head cut oft' in daylight conflict
resuming its position when the evening table was spread.
The rival forces of Fomorians and Danaans had Druids,
whose special work was to heal the wounded at night, so
as to be ready for the next morning's battle.
In the Story of Deirdri it is written, "As Conor saw
this, he went to Cathbad the Druid, and said to him, ' Go,
Cathbad, unto the sons of Usnach, and play Druidism
upon them.' " This was done. " He had recourse to his
intelligence and art to restrain the children of Usnach, so
that he laid them under enchantment, that is, by putting
around them a viscid sea of whelming waves."
Nothing was more common than the raising of Druidic
fogs. It would be easier to do that in Ireland or Scotland
than in Australia. The Story of Cu speaks of a King
Brudin who " made a black fog of Druidism " by his draoidhcacht,
or magic, Druidic winds were blasting, as they
came from the East. The CJiildrcn of Lir were made to
wander on the Irish Sea till the land became Christian.
A wonderful story in an old MS. respecting Diarmuid
is connected with the threatened divorce of the lovely
Mughain, as no prince had appeared to her husband the
King. "On this," says the chronicler, " the (Juccn went