Crom Dubh
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Crom Dubh (, ; meaning "
black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
crooked ne; also ''Crum Dubh'', ''Dark Crom'') is a mythological and folkloric figure of
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, based on the god ''
Crom Cruach Crom Cruach ( sga, Cromm Crúaich ) 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. He is also referred to as ''Crom Cróich'', ''Ce ...
'', mentioned in the 12th-century ''
dinnseanchas ''Dindsenchas'' or ''Dindshenchas'' (modern spellings: ''Dinnseanchas'' or ''Dinnsheanchas'' or ''Dınnṡeanċas''), meaning "lore of places" (the modern Irish word ''dinnseanchas'' means "topography"), is a class of onomastic text in early Iris ...
'' of
Magh Slécht Magh Slécht (sometimes Anglicised as Moyslaught) is the name of a historic plain in Ireland. It comprises an area of about three square miles (8 km2) situated in the south-eastern part of the Parish of Templeport, Barony (Ireland), Barony ...
.


Folklore


Conflict with Saint Patrick

According to one legend,
Cainnech of Aghaboe Cainnech of Aghaboe (515/16–600), also known as Saint Canice in Ireland, Saint Kenneth in Scotland, Saint Kenny and in Latin Sanctus Canicus, was an Irish abbot, monastic founder, priest and missionary during the early medieval period. Cainne ...
saw a number of demons flying past and when he inquired of their errand, one of them told him that Crom Dubh had died and they were after collecting his soul. Cainnech bid him on their return to tell him how they had fared. Some time later the demon returned limping badly. He told Cainnech that they were just about to seize Crom Dubh's soul when
St Patrick Saint Patrick ( la, Patricius; ga, Pádraig ; cy, Padrig) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints be ...
appeared with a host of angels and saints and drove them off, Crom Dubh's good works having outweighed his sins. Another location associated with Crom Dubh is Downpatrick Head in County Mayo. According to Irish legend, St. Patrick came to the headland to confront Crom Dubh, who is variously identified as a pagan chieftain, god, pirate, or robber. Crom Dubh attempted to throw St. Patrick into an eternal fire, but Patrick countered by drawing a cross on a stone and casting it into the fire, which became Poll a' Sean Tine (the hole of the old fire). Crom Dubh was then driven by St. Patrick into his home of Dun Briste, which Patrick separated from the mainland by driving his crozier into the ground. The site of Downpatrick Head became an important place of ritual and pilgrimage during the Festival of
Lughnasadh Lughnasadh or Lughnasa ( , ) is a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. In Modern Irish it is called , in gd, Lùnastal, and in gv, ...
- similar to
Croagh Patrick Croagh Patrick (), nicknamed 'the Reek', is a mountain with a height of and an important site of pilgrimage in County Mayo, Ireland. The mountain has a pyramid-shaped peak and overlooks Clew Bay, rising above the village of Murrisk, several mil ...
. The alternate names associated with Crom Dubh at Downpatrick Head include Cormac Dubh, Geodrisg, Deodrisg and Leodrisg. In other stories St. Patrick banishes the snakes of Ireland to Dun Briste. According to another local folktale, ''Crom Dubh'' was a servant of St. Patrick who gathered wood for the Saint to cook food for the needy. Crom Dubh interrupted St. Patrick during Mass on Crom Dubh Sunday by asking when the Sluagh Sidhe would go to Paradise, to which St. Patrick responded they would not go there until the Last Judgment. Before that day, the people would put their sickles in the corn and their spades in the ground, and the invisible ''Sidhfir'' would do the agricultural work for them, but after that day, the ''Sidhfir'' would no longer do any work.


Crom Dubh Sunday

''Dé Domhnaigh Crum-Dubh'' (Crom Dubh Sunday) was traditionally celebrated on the last Sunday in July or the first Sunday in August and is alternatively known as
Garland Sunday Reek Sunday ( ga, Domhnach na Cruaiche) or Garland Sunday is an annual day of pilgrimage in Ireland. On the last Sunday in July, thousands of pilgrims climb Ireland's holiest mountain, Croagh Patrick (764 metres) in County Mayo. It is held in ...
or Lammas Sunday. The traditional gathering on Crom Dubh Sunday was known as ''Comthineol Chruim Duibh'' or the Congregation of Crom Dubh. On this day, families held a feast of the first fruits that included new bacon, new cabbage, and new potatoes, and any man who could not provide food for his family was known as a "wind farmer." Crom Dubh was understood as a god of sacrifice, and in historic times celebrants left flowers on the ''Altóir na Greine'' or Altar of the Sun on Crom Dubh Sunday. A festival or ''oenach'' called ''Buaile na Greine'' was also held for several days adjoining Crom Dubh Sunday on
Mount Callan Slievecallan or Slieve Callan (), also historically called 'Mount Callan', is a mountain with a height of in west County Clare, Ireland. It is the third highest mountain in the county. There is a small lake and two megalithic tombs on the south ...
and included feasting, drinking, racing, hurling, singing and dancing; this festival was later replaced by a Christian festival to St. Muchan, which included prayers at the holy well. The ''Altóir na Greine'' was destroyed by a farmer in the 1800s to build a wall, and the stones were later reused to for construction projects.


See also

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Crom Cruach Crom Cruach ( sga, Cromm Crúaich ) 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. He is also referred to as ''Crom Cróich'', ''Ce ...


References


Sources

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External links


The Dullahan of Celtic Mythology
{{Celtic mythology (Scottish) Scottish folklore Scottish mythology Irish gods Irish folklore