But in a matter of this kind it will not do to depend upon isolated cases; the general trend of all the facts available along several lines of inquiry must be found and studied, first separately and then _inter se_, if any final conclusion is to be reached.
This is what I now propose to do in a very summary manner. It is not my task to arrange the facts of folklore and tradition, but simply to cull from the available sources precise statements which bear upon the questions before us. These statements, I think, may be accepted as trustworthy, and all the more so as many of the various recorders have had no idea either of the existence of a May year at all or of the connection between the different classes of the phenomena which ought to exist if my theory of their common origin in connection with ancient worship and the monuments is anywhere near the truth.
This question of time relations is surrounded by difficulties.
I gave in Fig. 7 the Gregorian dates of the beginning of the quarters of the May year, if nothing but the sun’s declination of 16° 20′ N. or S., four times in its yearly path, be considered. These were:--
May Greek Roman Year. Calendar. Calendar. End of Winter } Feb. 4 Feb. 7 Feb. 7 Beginning of Spring } „ Summer May 6 May 6 May 9 End of Summer } Aug. 8 Aug. 11 Aug. 8 Beginning of Autumn } „ Winter Nov. 8 Nov. 10 Nov. 9
In the table I also give, for comparison, the dates in the Greek and Roman calendars (p. 20).
There is no question that on or about the above days festivals were anciently celebrated in these islands; possibly not all at all holy places, but some at one and some at another; this, perhaps, may help to explain the variation in the local traditions and even some of the groupings of orientations.
The earliest information on this point comes from Ireland.
Cormac, Archbishop of Cashel in the tenth century, states, according to Vallancey, that “in his time four great fires were lighted up on the four great festivals of the Druids, viz., in February, May, August and November.”[24]
I am not aware of any such general statement as early as this in relation to the four festivals of the May year in Great Britain, but in spite of its absence the fact is undoubted that festivals were held, and many various forms of celebration used, during those months.