A possible secret 40 day calendar of an esoteric nature

 Daithi O'Hogain, p19 of Fionn Mac Cumhal: Images of the Celtic Hero, quotes from the Munster Genealogies in LL 1373. Noine, is said to be lying in the womb, 'Nine years, that is nine months by nine.'
This implies that Druids counted one calendar as 9 X 40 days, which would give a year of 360 days, plus 5 extra days, identical to the ancient Egyptians.
The Bible has some mentions of 40 as a period of particular time, such as the 40 years the Israelites spent in the desert in Exodus. Jewish sources relate that their month of Elul, begins the 40 days of prayer that Moses made to God during a time of tribulation.
The Christian calendar may betray evidence of the same 40 day months. Lent is 40 days before Easter, while the Ascension of Christ is 40 days after Easter.
Perhaps the 40 days of rain from if it rains on St Swithun's Day, July 15th, is some memory of the same.
The esoteric nature of the 40 day Lenten fast preceding the 40 days from Crucifixion to  Christ's Ascension, can only be marvelled at. Doubtless there was far more to it than this.........