Druids Were Distinguished

November 14, 1996

In THE CELTIC BOOK OF DAYS, November 14 is the day of “Scáthach, the eponymous Goddess of the Island of Skye, was the martial teacher of Cúchulainn and other heroes. The role of warrior woman and combat-tutor was a feature of Celtic martial education. She is the matron of self-defense and female independence, as well as guardian of young people who seek to know their full potential.”

The Druids have been the victims of serious misunderstandings.

I remember the Isle of Skye. After a train trip through the Scottish Highlands provided an abundance of fine scenery, the train terminated at a town adjacent to the ferry to the Isle of Skye. We boarded the ferry for the brief trip to Skye, seeing the ruins of old Castle Mull as the ferry entered the slip at Skye.

Skye invites a longer stay than was possible for the time between ferries. One would have liked to have talked with the islanders, learn something of their traditions, inquire how ancient was the large stone Celtic Cross visible on a nearby hill; and, although I didn’t then know about THE CELTIC BOOK OF DAYS, inquire if there were still any stories, celebrations, or beliefs about Scáthach.

The Druids have been a latter-day discovery in my historical readings. Many misconceptions exist about the Druids because they were seen through the eyes of Julius Caesar, and, later, Roman Christianity. Both conquered the British Isles and repressed the religions of the Celtic peoples – not only repressed, but failed to understand. Emil Ludwig noted, “Apparently religious fanaticism when joined with nationalism will make men blind.” (THE MEDITERANEAN, p. 47).

A more frivolous story about misunderstanding tells about the pair of Martians landing on a country road in the middle of the night. “Where are we?” one asked.

“I think we are in a cemetery,” his companion answered, “Look at that gravestone over there – that man lived to be 108.”

“What was his name?”

“Miles from Omaha.”

Relying much on THE DRUIDS, by Peter Beresford Ellis, published in Great Britain in 1994, I found much to reflect on.

The Druids were not a group of male priests. The Druids were an intellectual class of the learned professions, including not only religious leaders but also judges, teachers, historians, poets, musicians, physicians, prophets, political counselors. The Druids could be compared to the Brahmins of India. There may have been a relationship in ages before our history began, in that the Celtics were Indo-European peoples whose ancient origins may have been connected to the peoples whose intellectual class was the Brahmins. Migrations went East as well as West.

Julius Caesar reported that the Druids practiced human sacrifice. But other than the propaganda of a conquering invader, there is no substantial evidence that such was the practice of the Druids.

Most astonishing to the invading Romans and Christians was the place of women in Druid society. In ancient Greece and Rome, and then, Christianity, women were repressed, without rights, subservient to fathers and husbands. In Druidic belief and practice, women had rights: they could hold and inherit property; participate in the councils and political assemblies; woman could become Queen; a woman could divorce her husband; women were numbered among lawyers and judges. Thus, no surprise that the male dominant Roman/Christian conquerors defamed and debased Druidesses into
“sorceresses” and “Witches.”

But, as THE CELTIC BOOK OF DAYS reminds us, women were warriors and war leaders as well. Boudicca (Boudicea), Queen of the Iceni tribes, led the Celt in a famous war against Rome. Her statue adorns the banks of the Thames in London. There were others.

The oak tree was sacred to the Druids. There was at least one practical reason – acorns. Acorns were food that could be preserved. Acorns could be ground-up, milled and baked into a bread.

But the oak tree, quite apart from that, was sacred to the Celts As Yggdrasil was sacred to the Scandinavians. The tree was a mystic representation of creation, growth, life, death.

So if you happen to be one who believes that “Pagan” or pre-Christian religions were all brutal superstitions, a “reading-up” on the Druids is recommended.