Irish Druids And Old Irish Religions

Damer imagined that the little gold plates found there (four inches by three each), one of which I saw with him, were suspended by these pegs in different parts of that image." Subsequently the god was converted into a gate-post, and lost sight of after.

A bronze one, from Clonmacnoise, had a waved pattern on its eastern kilt and sleeves, with a conical head-dress ornamented with figures, a waving beard, and long prominent nose.

A Phallic image of Fro or Friceo, like the Priapus guardian of Brussels, was useful in driving disease from the Irish cattle. Feminine figures were employed down to quite modern times to remove evil; like that female deity found in December, 1880, in the moss bed, north of Lochaber, which was of black oak, and five feet in height.

King Cormac is mentioned as refusing to worship the Golden Calf set up by the Druids. As, however, he met his death shortly after, through a salmon-bone sticking in his throat, the priests concluded he suffered through the vengeance of the god Crom Cruach. Later bards made him declare--"I will offer no adoration to any stock or image shaped by my own mechanic. It were more rational to offer adoration to the mechanic himself."

In the Lays of the Western Gael we have the bardic story of King Cormac, who lived 300 years before St. Patrick, refusing a burial after the heathen custom:--

"For all the Kings who lie in Brug
Put trust in gods of wood and stone;
And 'twas at Ross that first I knew
One, unseen, who is God alone.

His glory lightens from the East,
His message soon shall reach our shore;
And idol god and cursing priest
Shall plague us from Moy Slaught no more."

The Winged Lion of Cashel may remind scholars of the

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