The Children of Lir is one of my favorite, as well as one of the most famous, tales from Irish mythology. It is a tragic and poignant legend from the Mythological Cycle of Irish folklore, which deals with the gods and mythical figures of early Ireland. The story begins in ancient Ireland with Lir (sometimes spelled Lear) who was a noble king and member of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a race of gods and magical beings. Lir had four children whom he loved dearly: Fionnuala, the eldest daughter, and her three younger brothers, Aodh, Fiachra, and Conn. All four of Lir’s children were known for their beauty, innocence, and intelligence, and their father loved them deeply.
But then one day, Lir’s wife, Aoibh, who was a kind and loving mother to their children, died. Lir and the four children were devastated and heartbroken. But Lir, who wanted to ensure his children had a maternal figure and desperately needed to strengthen political alliances, decided to marry Aoibh’s sister, Aoife. Aiofe, like Lir and Aoibh, was also a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann and part of their royal family. At first, Aoife was kind and loved the children, who were also her niece and nephews. But then, she slowly became more and more jealous of the close bond Lir had with his kids. Aoife, who’d always been jealous of her her now-dead sister, resented the love and attention the children received from their father. Eventually, Aoife’s jealousy festered into hatred.
One day, consumed by envy, Aoife decided to rid herself of the children. She took them on a journey to their grandfather Bodb Derg’s kingdom, under the guise of visiting him. Along the way, by the shore of Lough Derravaragh, Aoife used her magical powers to cast a terrible spell on the children, transforming them into swans. But even in her cruelty, she couldn’t kill them outright. So, instead, she cursed them to live as swans for 900 years. The first 300 years they were to spend on Lough Derravaragh, the lake where she cursed them. The next 300 years were to be spent on the Sea of Moyle, a cold and treacherous strait between Ireland and Scotland. The last 300 years, they’d spend on the Isle of Inishglora, a desolate and lonely island. The horrible spell also ensured that they would retain their human minds and voices but remain in the form of swans for the duration of the curse. Aoife cruelly added that they would only be freed from the spell when they heard the sound of church bells, which would signify the arrival of Christianity in Ireland.
After transforming the children into swans, Aoife continued to her father Bodb Derg’s palace, where she was immediately confronted for the absence of the children. Unable to lie, Aoife confessed her evil deed. Bodb Derg, furious, banished Aoife and turned her into an air demon as punishment for her treachery. Meanwhile, the four swan-children remained on Lough Derravaragh. Although they were swans, their voices were as beautiful as ever, and their singing enchanted anyone who heard it. Their father, Lir, was heartbroken when he discovered what had happened to his children, but he visited them often on the lake, where they sang and spoke to him with their human voices.
After 300 years, the children were forced to move to the Sea of Moyle. This period was the hardest for them, as the sea was cold and turbulent, and they endured many storms and hardships. Yet, they survived together, comforted by their love and the sound of each other’s voices. Then, after another 300 years, the children moved to the remote Isle of Inishglora, where they lived out their final 300 years of the curse in loneliness and sadness.
But as the 900 years passed, Ireland changed, and the old ways of the Tuatha Dé Danann faded. After 900 years of exile, the children of Lir finally heard the sound of church bells ringing across the land, signaling the arrival of Christianity. A holy man named Saint Mochaomhóg found the swan-children and, recognizing their tragic story, brought them to his monastery. Upon hearing the bells, the curse was broken, and the children were transformed back into their human forms. However, 900 years had taken their toll, and they were no longer the youthful children they once were. They aged rapidly, becoming frail and old, with only moments left to live. Saint Mochaomhóg baptized them, ensuring they would be at peace in the afterlife. The children of Lir, now free of their curse, passed away, and they were buried together in a single grave, united in death after centuries of sorrow.
Today, the swans in this story are an important part of Irish mythology because of their association with transformation and deep loss. This myth is also seen as a metaphor for the fading of the old Celtic ways and the rise of Christianity in Ireland. Children of Lir remains one of the most beloved stories in Irish folklore. It is remembered in art, literature, and even music. There are even monuments and sites (like lake, statues, and wells) across Ireland to keep this legend alive for future generations. I know it’s one of the sadder fairytales I’ve discussed on this blog, but it’s one of my favorites due to its enduring themes of love, loyalty, and the power of hope.
Note: My summary is an abridge story based on a few sources: Richard Duffy’s 1883 book, “The Fate of the Children of Lir,” written in Irish and translated to English, (a revision of Eugene Curry’s 1863, “Three Most Sorrowful Tales”), Bard Mythologies and Short Kid Fairy Stories, and the Wilderness Ireland website.
