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The most enduring physical symbol of Christianity is the cross and how it originated and developed in Northern Europe and especially in Ireland is where we'll start. There are many varied theories about where it came from but one such idea appears to centre on the abundance of 'pagan' standing stones ( see below) scattered across the earth that were utilised for various ritualistic performances based on fertility rites before Christianity came onto the scene.
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It was Roman Emperor Constantine 1st. who had a vision in which he saw a cross superimposed over the sun. This 'Sol Invictus' ,the unconquered sun was united into Christianity and Constantine soon upped his bags and moved the Roman capital to Constantinople (present day Istanbul) in Asia Minor. That's one idea direct from history, another idea is that the cross originated from the first two letters of the word Christ i.e. 'Chi Rho'. This was the greek influence directly on cross development.
But what the Christian community did in those 'pagan' days was to find these fertility sites and carve a cross on the top of whatever standing stone,stele or menhir they could locate so that it would be sancified of all further idol worship. Just how successful the early christians were can be readily seen across France where many a Menhir(standing stone) took on a decidedly different shape than its original intent. In fact today evidence can be shown where small churches were built over Druidic or 'pagan' sites or on top of sacred mounds.This is why sometimes you'll come across ecclesiastical centres close by Druidic or even Neolithic sites.
In Ireland at this time the Druid classes were dominant in terms of religious worship and its strongly possible they used the Neolithic mounds as ready made sacred sites to practise their form of religion, although sacred groves were also in vogue in wooded, forested areas.
Historically, we hear that St. Patrick was supposed to be the first missionary to spread the gospel throughout Ireland. However, a Swiss researcher, Jacob Streit, has written a book in which a prior monk called Pelagius appears on the scene first at least at the end of the 4th century A.D. He is credited as going to Rome fluent in Latin and Greek and conversant in Astronomy and Geometry. Pope Celestine 1 sent a bishop, Palladius, to Ireland in 431 A.D. Streit builds up circumstantial evidence, items here and there to posit the idea that Christianity was already flourishing before St. Patrick came along and had elements of druidic bardic influence entwined within it.
There does not appear to be any historical tracts or annals that indicate the Druids clashed with the Christian monk/missionaries. In fact there appears to have been a blending or disappearance/ immersion of Druid religion into Christianity. How did they ,themonks, accomplish this without bloodshed? As I mentioned before standing stones represented the AXIS MUNDI - the axis of the world linking heaven(vertical) and earth(horizontal) with humans. The monks took the standing stone added a cross member to represent the Chi - Rho monogram and fixed it into position with wheel like members.
Inadvertantly, the Monks had set up a sun wheel symbol and this was a representation of the highest god of the Celts. Celtic gods/goddesses numbered some 374 but they had a number of triune gods(triple-headed gods) and with the introduction of the Christian trinity there became an affinity. Monks, once they recognised the idea of the sun-wheel divinity played it to their advantage. Whereas the physical sun always 'died' at sunset to be 'reborn' at sunrise, the Christian monks stated that the true SUN=Christ, never set. ('Nos autem qui credimus et adoramus solum verum'). In the Eastern church Christ is revealed as the ascending SUN who shines for the dead and mortals on earth.