Westuopp — The ^'- Mound of the Fiana " at Cromwell Hill. 83 



Ir Luachair and Cliu in south-eastern Co. Limei-ick, and a most important 

 series of such remains on the ground renders it important that the district 

 should (as opportunity serves) be worked out and recorded. A complete 

 understanding of such antiquities is as necessary to the understanding and 

 criticism of early Irish literature as linguistic study. When the antiquary 

 has dealt with the tales of Curoi and Crimthann Nia Nair, of Mog Nuadat 

 and Oilioll Aulom, as he has dealt with the chief epic of the Tain bo Cualnge,' 

 we shall be on surer ground. This can only be tentative at present, and the 

 severity of the times sorely hinders ; but meanwhile the linguist, topographer, 

 and field antiquary must do their part, though finality be not yet in sight. 



APPENDIX.— Crom and Lug. 



At the reading of this paper it was objected that Crom was a " pre-CelLic " 

 deity, an object of fear and hatred in Ireland, and so could not be Lug. As 

 to the first, I think it very probable that Crom (like Press, Tethra, Oengus of 

 the Brugh, Bodb Dearg, and, perhaps, the Dagda) was pre-Celtic. They have 

 no record in Gaul or Britain, if " Dagorix " be not the last. De Jubainville 

 first suggested that Crom was pre-Celtic and of the Fomore.* 



This does not, however, affect the later substitution of Crom for Lug, 

 however different the origin. Casual identifications occur in every great 

 mythology. The PLomans identified their Mercury with the gods Hermes, 

 Thoth, Odin, and Lug, as culture gods, and, very probably, the early 

 inhabitants of Gaul were as uuscientific. The latter, possibly, were pleased 

 when the " Celtic " conquerors recognized their mountain gods and obscure 

 tribal deities as being their own chief god, " Victor Magniacus," or Lug. 



iSToone doubts that a swarm of localgods lie hidden in Lug's endless names — 

 Adsmerius, Alaunus, Arcecius, Artaius, Arvernorix, Biausius, Canetonenis, 

 Clavariatus, Cimicinus (god of roadsj, Uumias, Magniacus, Naussatis, Eivos,' 

 SmertuUus, Smertorix, Toeirenus, Vassacoletus, Veilaunus, Victor, 

 Visutoctus — and many more (even "Moccus," the swine god !) were hardly 

 all derived from the one light god of the Lugdunum towns in Germany, 



^ For example, in Professor Ridgeway's notable essay in the "British Academy," 

 1903, p. 21. 



-" Irish Mythological Cycle " (tr. Best), pp. 61,62. The Fom ore were "champions 

 of the SM" (Eiicycl. Reiig. and Ethics, iii, p. 283). I£ Vallancey can be trusted, 

 " Crom Eooho " was the Dagda ('• De Rebus Hib.," iv, p. 495). He cites a now unknown 

 Irish MS. in Trinity College, Dublin. 



^ Rivos, or Rivros, has his festival on August 1st ; the harvest was dedicated to him in 

 Oaul (Brit. Acad., 1905, p. 87', and he brings the corn in, like Crom. ifcid., 1910, 

 p. 231. 



p.. I. A. PROC, VOL. XXXVI, SECT. C. [9] 



