Crom Cruach

{{for|the Robin of Sherwood episode|Cromm Cruac (Robin of Sherwood)}}

Crom Cruach ({{langx|sga|Cromm Crúaich}} {{IPA|sga|ˈkɾˠʊmˠ ˈkɾˠuəç|}}) was a pagan god of pre-Christian Ireland. According to Christian writers, he was propitiated with human sacrifice and his worship was ended by Saint Patrick.[https://www.academia.edu/43357288/The_Irish_God_Crom_Cr%C3%BAaich_of_Magh_Sl%C3%A9cht_a_review_of_the_sources Smith, Tom. "The Irish God 'Crom Crúaich of Magh Slécht' : a review of the sources"]

He is also referred to as Crom Cróich, Cenn Cruach/Cróich ({{IPA|sga|ˈkʲɛnˠː ˈkɾˠuəx|}}) and Cenncroithi ({{IPA|sga|ˈkʲɛnˠː ˈkɾˠɔhɨ|}}). He is related to the later mythological and folkloric figure Crom Dubh.

The references in a dinsenchas ("place-lore") poem in the 12th century to sacrifice in exchange for milk and grain suggest that Crom had a function as a fertility god. The description of his image as a gold figure surrounded by twelve stone or bronze figures has been interpreted by some as representing the sun surrounded by the signs of the zodiac, suggesting a function as a solar deity.{{cite web| url = http://www.shee-eire.com/magic&mythology/gods&goddess/Celtic/Gods/Crom-Cruaich/Page1.htm| title = Celtic Gods, Crom Cruaich| work = Magic of Mythology| access-date = 9 December 2010| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100704062055/http://www.shee-eire.com/magic%26mythology/gods%26goddess/Celtic/Gods/Crom-Cruaich/Page1.htm| archive-date = 4 July 2010}}

Name

Crom Cruach's name takes several forms. Crom (or cromm) means "bent, crooked, stooped" or according to O'Reilly is perhaps related to cruim meaning "thunder".{{cite book |last1=Fitzgerald |first1=David |title=Popular Tales of Ireland |date=1880 |publisher=Revue Celtique |pages=176 |url=https://archive.org/details/revueceltiqu04pari/page/178/mode/2up?view=theater |access-date=12 December 2021}} Cenn means "head", and by extension "head, chief". Cruach (or crúach) is a noun meaning "pile, heap, mound, stack", generally of grain, hay, peat or other gathered goods, booty, and so on, including slaughtered fighters. A common extension is its reference to hills or mountains that look like stacks or piles.

Crom Cruach is called the chief Celtic idol of Ireland by Michael J. O'Kelly, and was located on Magh Slécht (The Plain of Prostrations) in County Cavan, surrounded by twelve other idols.{{cite book| last = O'Kelly| first = Michael J.| author-link = Michael J. O'Kelly| editor = Claire O'Kelly| editor-link = Claire O'Kelly| title = Early Ireland: An Introduction to Irish Prehistory| year = 1989| publisher = Cambridge University Press| isbn = 0-521-33687-2| page = 288}}

Literary references

According to an Irish dinsenchas ("place-lore") poem in the 12th century Book of Leinster, Crom Cruach's cult image, consisting of a gold figure surrounded by twelve stone figures, stood on Magh Slécht ("the plain of prostration") (pronounced Moy Shlokht)[https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/st-patrick-paganism-ireland Isaac, Ali. "The intersection of Saint Patrick and paganism in Ireland", Irish Central, February 16, 2020] in County Cavan, and was propitiated with first-born sacrifice in exchange for good yields of milk and grain. Crom Cruach is described as a wizened god, hidden by mists,[https://archive.org/stream/metricaldindsenc04royauoft/metricaldindsenc04royauoft_djvu.txt Gwynn, Edward. The metrical Dindsenchas, vol. XI, Dublin, Hodges, Figgis and Co., Ltd., 1924] and is said to have been worshipped since the time of Érimón. An early High King, Tigernmas, along with three quarters of his army, is said to have died while worshipping Crom on Samhain eve, but worship continued until the cult image was destroyed by St. Patrick with a sledgehammer.{{cite book |editor-first=E. |editor-last=Gwynn |others=E. Gwynn (ed & trans) |title=The Metrical Dindshenchas |url=http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T106500D/text007.html |volume=4 |at=poem 7 |postscript=;}}
{{cite book |title=Annals of the Four Masters |url=http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005A/text006.html |id=M3656 |postscript=;}}
{{cite book |first=Geoffrey |last=Keating |author-link=Geoffrey Keating |title=History of Ireland |at=2.25 |url=http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100054/text035.html}}

This incident figures prominently in medieval legends about St. Patrick, although it does not appear in his own writings, nor in the two 7th century biographies by Muirchu and Tírechán.{{cite book |editor-first=Ludwig |editor-last=Bieler |others=Ludwig Bieler (ed. & trans.) |year=1979 |title=The Patrician Texts in the Book of Armagh |publisher=Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies}} However J.B. Bury,{{cite journal |first=J.B. |last=Bury |year=1902–1904 |title=The itinerary of Patrick in Connaught, according to Tírechán |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy: Archaeology, Culture, History, Literature |volume=24 |page=156}} infers that there is a missing passage in Tírechán about Crom Cruaich; L. Bieler, who edited the two biographies, is non-committal on the point.

In the 9th century Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick the deity is called Cenn Cruach, and his cult image consists of a central figure covered with gold and silver, surrounded by twelve bronze figures. When Patrick approaches it he raises his crozier, the central figure falls face-down, with the imprint of the crozier left in it, and the surrounding figures sink into the earth. The "demon" who inhabits the image appears, but Patrick curses him and casts him to hell.{{cite book |first=James |last=O'Leary |others=James O'Leary (ed & trans) |year=1880 |chapter=Tripartite Life |at=Part II |title=The Most Ancient Lives of St. Patrick |chapter-url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18482/18482-h/18482-h.htm#chap0402}} Jocelin's 12th century Life and Acts of St. Patrick tells much the same story. Here the god is called Cenncroithi, interpreted as "the head of all gods", and when his image falls the silver and gold covering it crumble to dust, with the imprint of the crozier left on bare stone.{{cite book |first=James |last=O'Leary |others=James O'Leary (ed & trans) |year=1880 |chapter=The Life and Acts of St. Patrick by Jocelin |at=Chapter 56 |title=The Most Ancient Lives of St. Patrick |chapter-url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18482/18482-h/18482-h.htm#chap6056}}

Archaeology

A decorated stone known as the Killycluggin Stone ({{Irish derived place name|Coill an Chlogáin}}, meaning 'the Wood of the Bell-Shaped Stone') has been interpreted by some as the cult image of Crom Cruach. It was found at Killycluggin, County Cavan. It was discovered broken in several pieces and partly buried close to a Bronze Age stone circle (54.090773, -7.634122), inside which it probably once stood.

The 14th century Book of McGovern, written in Magh Slécht, contains a poem which states that Crom was situated at Kilnavert beside the road and that the local women used to tremble in fear as they passed by. There is still a local tradition in the area that the Killycluggin Stone is the Crom stone.

There is another standing stone identifiedKillinagh Church and Crom Cruaich by Oliver Davies and D. Lowry-Corry, in Ulster Journal of Archaeology, Third Series, Vol. 2 (1939), pp. 98-104 with Crom Crúaich in Drumcoo townland, County Fermanagh. It has the figure of a man walking engraved on it, representing either Saint Patrick or a druid, depending on when it was engraved. A nearby street is named Crom Crúaich Way after it.

A large wooden idol from the 4th century AD has recently been discovered in Gortnacrannagh, County Roscommon.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/1600-year-old-wooden-idol-found-ireland-180978453/|title = Eight-Foot-Tall, 1,600-Year-Old Statue of Pagan Deity Found in Ireland}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KpPTEKbk40|title = Gortnacrannagh Idol|website = YouTube| date=17 December 2021 }}

Crom Cruach

Name

Literary references

Archaeology

See also

References

Further reading