Crom Cruach, also called Cenn Cruach and Cenncroithi was a pre-Christian Irish deity. Human sacrifices were made to him, in return for good yields of grain or milk. The High King Tigernmas promoted his worship and, during a celebration on the eve of Samhain, Tigernmas and half of his army died. His cult was ended when Saint Patrick used a slegdehammer to smash the large stone image of him on a field in County Cavan.
Name[]
The meaning of this deity's name has been the subject of much debate. Cromm or crom, means "crooked" or "bent". Cenn means "head". Cruach as a noun may mean "slaughter", "stack of corn" or "mound". As an adjective, it may mean "bloody". As such, the meanings include "bloody crescent", "bloody head", "crooked one of the mound", "head of the stack of corn", "bloody, bent one", "head of the mound" and "crooked stack of corn".