Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions

82 Old Irish Rclio-ions.
—
There Is no account of the people, as recorded of some
Celts, worshipping a bloody spear, or one placed in a vase
upon the altar, as with the Scythians ; but Spenser, in
Queen Elizabeth's time, observed the Irish drink blood in
a certain ceremony, and swear by the right hand of their
chiefs.
Solinus, in the early Christian centuries, must have heard
strange tales of Erin, when he left this record— " It is a
surly, savage race. The soldier in the moment of victory
takes a draught of his enemy's blood, and smears his
face
with the gore. The mother puts her boy's first food, for
luck, on the end of her husband's sword, and lightly pushes
it
into the infant's mouth, with a prayer to the gods of her
tribe that her son may have a soldier's
death."
The Evil Eye was an object of dread, and penalties concerning
it are conspicuous in the old Brehon laws. The
Suil Bhaloirs, or Balor eye, relates to one Balor, who was
able by an eye to strike a foe dead. Love potions, on the
contrary, are referred to in many ancient songs.
Persons were put under vows to do or not to do a thing.
They were said to be under Gesa. This was often imposed
with certain spells or charms.
Raising the wind—so valuable a power in sailing days
was the privilege of a few, and had its votaries down to the
last century. Windbound fishermen of the Hebrides, too,
used to walk, sunwise, round the chapel of Fladda, in
Fladdahuan Isle, and pour water upon a round, bluishlooking
stone. This effectually raised a wind. The gods
then kept the wind in bags. Not so long ago, old women
in the Shetlands would sell wind to sailors.
Dreams have played a great part in Ireland. In St.
Patrick's Confession they are referred to.
Professor O'Curry
explains the meaning attached to them by the peasantry.
Auguries were taken from the flight of birds, from beasts,