I think there is a lot of historical record re the Celtic traditions. I have read whole books about Brehon Laws, the legal code of the Celts, and they are very specific.
Here is a little history from the same Unitarian minister's sermon about the rise of Christianity in Ireland, and how much more egalitarian Celitc society was, particularly in comparison to the incoming Catholic ways, which were very harsh for women:"
WHEN ST PATRICK BROUGHT CHRISTIANITY TO IRELAND IN 432 CE....
One good thing that happened was that the "take over" was quite peaceful.
And some important aspects of the early spiritual belief system were retained - although at a price. For example, unable to prevent the Celts from visiting healing wells and other sites they held sacred, the Christian monks simply set up religious statues and Stations of the Cross at such wells, and constructed churches next to them.
Perhaps the most outrageous of the pagan worship site "takeovers" was the claiming of Croagh Patrick as the "sacred mountain of Ireland." This move symbolized the way in which the patriarchy of Christianity intended to displace the matriarchy of the earlier goddess-centered belief system. For, for thousands of years before Patrick claimed it in the name of Christianity, the mountain had been totally dedicated to the Goddess - a site held to be so sacred that men weren't even allowed to climb the mountain. They could only wait at the foot while the woman-only ceremonies took place at the summit.
However, the literacy of the Christian monks had a tremendously positive impact on Ireland, and, indeed, upon the whole Western world. For the very first time the elaborate and enchanting Irish myths, which until this time had been preserved solely through oral tradition, were written down - albeit with some "sanitizing and christianizing" taking place in the process.
It was also the Christian monks of Ireland who preserved much classical literature and the Christian gospels destroyed all across Europe during the Dark Ages. In small monasteries around the Irish countryside and on offshore islands the monks labored tirelessly at their re-copying efforts, incorporating into their work the elaborate decorated letters and pages for which manuscripts like the Book of Kells have become known worldwide. And as the Dark Ages ended many of the monks who returned to Europe to re-introduce the teachings of the church were from Ireland.
BUT IMPORTANT BELIEFS DID DIMINISH OR WERE LOST OVER TIME AS CHRISTIANITY STRENGTHENED
The Celtic reverence for the land and all living things weakened as the Christian concept of "dominion over nature" was promoted.
The power of the Goddess (the very symbol of feminine energy in all of life and nature) was much reduced. The goddesses who were transformed into Christian saints, such as Bridget who had embodied all three aspects of feminine wisdom: the maiden, the mother and the crone, became pale versions of their pagan predecessors.
Women who had previously held positions of influence equal to those of men in Celtic society were relegated to subservient roles. Only wealthy women and those who joined - or were given to the church by their families - learned to read and write and were allowed to pass their lives in study.
Trust in the naturalness of death and belief in reincarnation diminished; as converts focused on the Christian concept of the hereafter. And dictums from the church replaced the extraordinary Celtic zest for life and belief in magic. [One of the leaders of our annual treks to Ireland believes that this change has had much to do with the subsequent vulnerability of Irish to alcoholism. She feels that as peoples' belief in the world of the spirits was weakened, they turned to (liquid) spirits for comfort.]
Lost, as well were other really effective practices from Brehon Law - the Celtic legal system which seems to have been designed not for the best of all possible worlds, where everyone is kind and trustworthy, but for the world as it actually is. Here are just a few that I think have great relevance for us today:
The Brehon Laws of Compensation and Distress touched every aspect of Celtic life. When any wrong-doing was committed down to the smallest insult, the situation was brought before the Brehons and the guilty party was required to pay an honour price. The point of compensation was not to punish the wrongdoer, but to re-establish amity between himself and the person he had wronged, or their family, so there would be no need for the acts of revenge that had been a legacy of man's more savage past. This system of compensation restored goodwill between people; it could also be harsh when needed. In extremely serious cases of wrong-doing, such as the killing of a tribe's Chief Bard, the death of the guilty party could be required, or their banishment, which was almost as bad, because survival on one's own outside the protection of the tribe was highly unlikely. [It is fascinating to learn that an initiative called Restorative Justice has emerged very recently in Ireland (and in numerous places around the U.S.) The ultimate goal of Restorative Justice is:"not to punish people but to reduce the incidence of socially harmful activity, promote victim-offender reconciliation and help create safer communities". I have not found out as yet whether the Irish proponents of this effort realize that they are re-creating their ancient heritage, not inventing something new.] But let's go back now to other amazing tenants of Brehon Law:
No child was considered illegal. Any relationship that resulted in the birth of a child was considered to be a marriage. To achieve this quite remarkable goal, Brehon Law recognized ten "degrees" of marriage. A First Degree marriage was, not unexpectedly, one between parties with equal influence and property. The marriage required a contract and lasted only so long as both parties agreed. But the rights of any children born to the couple were secured. The marriage law gets especially fascinating as one looks at some of the other types of human unions they considered legal. A Sixth Degree marriage reflected that era in history - it applied when a man forcibly abducted a woman - as when a chieftain seized his defeated enemy's wife after a battle. But a marriage of the Seventh Degree still has total relevance today. Referred to as "a soldier's marriage," it covered casual unions that often lasted no more than one night. A marriage of Eighth Degree referred to when a man obtained use of a woman's body through deception, such as seducing her with lies about his status or his amount of property, or taking advantage of her intoxication. An act of rape constituted a Ninth-Degree marriage, and a Tenth-Degree marriage was a coupling of feebleminded persons. Children born under any of these circumstances were protected under law. There were no "BoiDoi" - no "children of the dust" like those our soldiers left behind in Southeast Asia.
No child ever lived as an orphan. Through an extensive system of fosterage the clan and tribe became extended family. All classes practiced fosterage, including the taking in of orphans. Fosterers were required by law to maintain and educate the child according to its rank in society. Fosterage also played an important role in politics. It was used to develop and reinforce personal relationships upon which both tribal and military alliances depended. Members of the warrior aristocracy routinely exchanged children, and foster parents often came to be regarded with more affection that birth parents. [It made me one wonder whether our own determination to address social injustices within this nation and to resolve differences with other countries and interest groups might intensify if children of our leaders were being raised by the leaders of other such groups.]
Women's rights, especially in contract marriages, were extremely well protected. Just listen to these possible grounds for divorce:
A woman whose husband failed to provide her with the food and clothing she desired, insofar as he was able, was eligible for a divorce;
Prolonged or perpetual absence was sufficient to allow for divorce, so was loss of sanity;
A woman whose husband gave her a charm or potion of some kind to induce her to sleep with him when she did not wish to do so was entitled to a divorce;
As was (and please listen particularly closely to this) -- any woman who was struck a blow that blemished her.
Men's rights were also protected.
The husband had the right to take other women (but he had to have his wife's permission to make another woman a contract wife - one who could inherit.)
The wife also had the same rights, but had to have the husband's permission to take another contract husband; AND, her lovers had to be of rank equal to that of her husband so that any children brought into the family could be a source of pride.
Perhaps most astounding of all, the Brehon Laws really encouraged civility:
Within a marriage, a divorce could be granted if one mate circulated a false story about the other. And neither could criticize the other, or make them a figure of fun in public. They could say what they wanted in private, but in public they had to both support each other completely.
Civil behavior was encouraged throughout the society through, of all things, satire. People dreaded becoming the target of professional satirists who would ridicule them in public. It may come as no surprise to you that women were just as good satirists as men!
In summary, the Irish Celts had a belief system that honored all living things; their laws of compensation restored social harmony and removed the need for revenge. Their laws protected the rights of men and women and all children. Their system of fosterage assured physical care and education for all, and developed and strengthened political and social ties. And personal behavior was encouraged that would contribute to a more civil society.
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