Above: Illustrating picture about sorcerer

Crosantacht  or  Sorcery  is  held  to  be  even  older  than druidism.    An  ancient  writer  says  in  the  Book  of  Lee that   the  Tuatha  de  Danann,   " a  remnant   of   the  fall angels," came at the call of sorcerers and those who practiced malevolent incantations by walking in circles left-hand. They used to be worshipped, and it was they who invented
the spells sung by smiths and druids and wise women an pilots   and   cup-bearers.    From   them,   he  adds,   druidism came   to   Ireland.
Crosans   are   frequently   mentioned   in the lives of the Irish saints.    More than one is met in the Voyage of Brendan.    We are told, too, that  St. Cainneach from an island near Ros Cre saw a vast host of demons flying; in the air over his head.    And when Donnchadh mac Ceallaigh, father-in-law of  Donnchadh  son of Flann Siona, was buried   at   Saighir  Chiarain   nine  coal-black  crosans  came shrieking over the grave.    Every one who saw them took ill for a day and a night.    At length the clergy fasted and prayed to ascertain why so good a man was pursued in death, and it was indicated that the demons came from the nether regions in anger because they could make no impression on the king during his lifetime.    Two sorcerers of the period Fionn Ua Cionga and Rionntach Ua Conarain, learned their hvmns and practised crosantacht during their own lifetimes. According to the Annals of Ulster, Maelsheachlain, royal heir of Aileach, died through sorcery in 996.
Thus the functions of the druids, who were supplanted by the anamchara at the revision of the social system after the coming of Saint Patrick, degenerated and tapered out into the piscoga of our own day. It will be obvious, however, that the druids did not get entirely displaced by the coming of the faith. Raghallach, the lustful king of Connacht, had a druid in the time of Fursa and Feichin ; while the Four Masters record in’1097 that " the druid Ua Carthaigh ollamh of Connacht was killed by the Connachtmen themselves," and in 1166 that " the blind Ua Conallta .1. Giollamuire, royal druid of Ireland, died." Druids are even mentioned formally in the retinue of the Maguires of Fermanagh as late as the thirteenth century.1
The Christian period has, of necessity, been anticipated somewhat here, as the period covered in the first section has been reverted to again and again as we trace back to their respective sources the various arteries which sustain the main current of Irish history.