Worshippers of The Red God

Caesar Gallic Wars - Difference between Sunset observing Irish Druids and Mainland European Wickermen

Ben McBrady of the Old Gaelic Order.

Narrator : 

When members of The Order first came to Ireland, they found that a mighty Druidic organisation existed there.

"Members of The Order WERE Druids -- they infiltrated the Druidic organisation which was a HIGHLY complex one -- and, err slightly... well, not slightly, but CONSIDERABLY different in Ireland from the continental Druids, who were described by Ceaser in his De Bello Gallicus, The Gallic Wars.

He -- most of his information came from a Druid named Davitiacus, who was living in Rome, and according to Divitiaticus, the Druids were The Priests and Philosphers and the Astronomers of The Celtic Tribes.

They were also Magicians and Lawgiver -- 

possibly Priest-Kings, but he doesn't make that clear....

Now, Caesar was particularly interested in the religions of subject peoples - because The Romans believed that if they captured the idols, they HAD the Gods, and The People made no more resistance to them.

That was one of their techniques of conquering, and ruling. 

It served both purposes.

Now, The Druids -- According to Caesar...

There have been doubts thrown on whether this 'Divitiacus' existed or not -- but, according to Caesar, these Druids had a great annual ceremony, in which they had Sacrifices."

Narrator :

Historians now agree with Ben, that no Human Sacrifices took place in Ireland.

However, the Irish Druids DID have their ceremonies, among which were the celebration of Beltane at the beginning of May, and Samhain, in November.

"Now, these ceremonies were carried out, usually in Oak Groves -- The Oak was a sacred tree to The Celts, and to a lot of aboriginal people, primitive peoples who saw spirits in rocks and stones and rivers and growing things of all kinds.

The name of The Oak, the root term for 'Oak' is 'drua'; and from the practitioners under The Oak Groves, they got the term 'Dru-IDs', or 'Dru-iddi', which was The Roman Term for 'Druids'.

Now, in Ireland, by coincidence, synchronicity, call it what you like, the Druidic Order were 

Worshippers of The Sunset :- The 'duh-Rhurr', 

The Red God.

And, a Priest of that Order would be called a 'Chela duh-Rhurr', 

A Servant of The Red God.

And with the very common thing that happens with Language nowadays, we DROP The First Term -- we drop The Substantive for The Adjective... 

That process had continued all through time in Language --

And so, 'Chela duh-Rhurr' became 'duh-Rhurr', and 'duh-Rhurr' became 'druah', or 'druid'.

So that's how the confusion arises between The Druids of The Continent and The Druids of Ireland -- that they have the same NAME, but for different REASONS....."