Crom Cruach
Pre-Christian Irish god propitiated with human sacrifice.
In pre-Christian Ireland, a pagan deity named Crom Cruach was worshipped, as recorded by Christian authors.[1] Saint Patrick is credited with ending the worship of this god, who was appeased through human sacrifice.[1]
Quick Facts
- Also known as
- Crom Cróich
- Cenn Cruach
- Cenncroithi
- Location of cult image
- Magh Slécht (Plain of Prostrations), near Killycluggin, County Cavan
- Associated figure
- Crom Dubh
- Worship ended by
- Saint Patrick
- Domain
- Pagan god of pre-Christian Ireland
- Associated with
- Fertility, solar deity (interpreted)
- Cult center
- Magh Slécht, County Cavan
Facts from the source article.
Key facts and history
Michael J. O'Kelly called Crom Cruach the chief Celtic idol of Ireland.[2] The idol was located on Magh Slécht near Killycluggin, County Cavan, surrounded by twelve other idols.[2] Tigernmas and three quarters of his army died on Samhain eve while worshipping Crom.[3][4] The word "cenn" signifies "head" or "chief."[5]
The spirit residing in the statue emerges, but Patrick pronounces a curse upon it and sends it down to hell.[6] A similar narrative is presented in Jocelin's 12th-century work, Life and Acts of St. Patrick.[6]
What the cited sources add
The same source records that Tighearnmhas died with three quarters of the men of Ireland on Samhain eve while worshipping Crom Cruaidh.[3] Some scholars have identified the Killycluggin Stone, an ornamented rock, as a possible representation of the cult image of Crom Cruach.[7] This stone was unearthed in multiple fragments adjacent to a Bronze Age stone circle located in County Cavan.[7] In Drumcoo townland, County Fermanagh, there is another standing stone that has been linked to Crom Crúaich.[8]
References
- Wikipedia, "Crom Cruach" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Smith, Tom. "The Irish God 'Crom Crúaich of Magh Slécht' : a review of the sources" (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Crom Cruach" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: O'Kelly, "Early Ireland: An Introduction to Irish Prehistory", Cambridge University Press, 1989, p. 288 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Keating, "History of Ireland". facts only, no text reused. ucc.ie
- Wikipedia, "Crom Cruach" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Keating, "History of Ireland" (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Crom Cruach" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Fitzgerald, "Popular Tales of Ireland", Revue Celtique, 1880, p. 176 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Crom Cruach" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: O'Leary, "The Most Ancient Lives of St. Patrick", 1880 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Crom Cruach" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Isaac, Ali. "The intersection of Saint Patrick and paganism in Ireland", Irish Central, February 16, 2020 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Crom Cruach" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Killinagh Church and Crom Cruaich by Oliver Davies and D. Lowry-Corry, in Ulster Journal of Archaeology, Third Series, Vol. 2 (1939), pp. 98-104 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Crom Cruach (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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