1889.] *^'^1 [Mooney. 



tiudcr placed at the point of contact. Tliis was the process used by theRo- 

 niau vestals, by the ancient priests of India and by their modern Brahmauic 

 successors, and has even been practiced in the western islands of Scotland, 

 one of the last sanctuaries of druidism, as late as 1707, in order to procure 

 Sacred fire with which to check a murrain amongst the cattle.* 



According to Smiddy, as soon as the new fires wer blazing on every 

 hil, " Feasts and sacrifices followed. Victims were given to the tiames, 

 and among them probably were included human beings. As on all other 

 occasions of prayer and sacrifice, both priests and people placed them- 

 selves at the west of the fires, with their faces turned to the mystical and 

 magical east. Most probably these ceremonies took place at an advanced 

 hour of the night and were continued till morning, when the sun, the 

 great form of Beal, appeared in his glory above the horizon. * * * It 

 is stated that from the fires lighted by the druids on this solemn occasion 

 the people carried home burning brands or live embers, with which to 

 rekindle the domestic hearths, and that the seed of it, siol na tinne, was 

 preserved and continued among them till the next anniversary of Beil- 

 tinne again. * * * The druids believed that in this way they kept the 

 sacred fire of Beal perpetually burning and that great were the benefits 

 which their people derived Irom its presence and influence among them. 

 Even the fields at this season received portions of it to ensure a fruitful 

 year and an abundant harvest."! 



The great ceremony of Bealtuine was intended especially to bring a 

 blessing upon the crops and herds, and it is stated by some authors that 

 both human beings and catile wer ofl'ered as a sacrifice to the fire upon 

 this occasion. It is certain, at least, that two fires wer built close together 

 and that men and catile past between them, the purpose being to ward off 

 tlie influence of disease. J In the last century the cattle wer stil driven 

 through the May fires to preserv them from all disorders during the year,§ 

 while the existing Mayday beliefs concern themselvs chiefly Avith the 

 safety of the milk and butter. The cardinal points derive their Gaelic 

 names from the position assumed by the druids and people when paying 

 the ancient homage to the rising sun. As the priest stood facing soir (ser), 

 "the bright " place, his right hand was to the south, his left hand to the 

 north and his back was turnd to the west. The Gaelic names for south, 

 north and west ar deas, tuaigh and iar {jds, thuee, eer), signifying respec- 

 tivly, right hand, left hand and behind. 



It is said that Saint Patrick first arrived in the neighborhood of Tara on 

 the night when the people had assembled from all parts of the royal plain 

 of Meath to celebrate the great Bealtuine, which, as it so happend, oc- 

 curd this year upon the eve of Easter, and that the first intimation of the 



* Grimm, Mythologie, i, 574-5 ; see also Kelly, Folk-lore, in his chapter on " The de- 

 scent of fire." 

 t Smiddy, Druids, 94-7. 



X Cormac (A. D. 90S), noted in Grimm, Mythologie, i, 5S0. 

 g Vallancey, Collectanea, ii, 276. 



