Irish Druids and old Irish religions / by James Bonwick.

  • James Bonwick
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Irish Druids and old Irish religions / by James Bonwick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    H seek the etymological meaning of the words, Intelligence., Knowledge, and Inquiry! The Nemidians reached Ireland from Scythia, but were accompanied by Druids ; who, however, were confounded by the Fomorian Druids. At first the Nemidians were victorious, but the Fomorian leader brought forward his most powerful spells, and forced the others into exile. Beothach, Nemid’s grandson, retired with his clan to northern Europe, or Scandinavia; where “ they made themselves perfect in all the arts of divination, Druidism, and philosophy, and returned, after some generations, to Erinn under the name of the Tuatha de Danaan.” The last were most formidable Druids, though overcome in their turn by the Druids of invading Milesians from Spain. There were Druids’ Hills at Uisneath, Westmeath, and Clogher of Tyrone. The Draoithe were wise men from the East. Dubhtach Mac Ui’ Lugair, Archdruid of King Mac Niall, became a Christian convert. The Battle of Moyrath, asserted by monkish writers to have taken place in 637, decided the fate of the Druids. And yet, the Four Masters relate that as early as 927 B.C., there existed Mur Ollavan, the City of the Learned, or Druidic seminary. Bacrach, a Leinster Druid, told Conchobar, King of Ulster, something which is thus narrated :—“ There was a great convulsion. ‘What is this said Conchobar to his Druid. ‘ What great evil is it that is perpetrated this day t' ‘ It is true indeed,’ said the Druid, ‘ Christ, the Son of God, is crucified this day by the Jews. It was in the same night He was born that you were born ; that is, in the 8th of the Calends of January, though the year was not the same.’ It was then that Conchobar believed ; and he was one of the two men that believed in God in Erinn before the coming of the faith.”
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