Children of Lir
Encyclopedia
Irish mythology
The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branch and the Historical Cycle. There are...
legend. The original Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
title is Clann Lir or Leannaí Lir, but Lir is the genitive case
Genitive case
In grammar, genitive is the grammatical case that marks a noun as modifying another noun...
of Lear. Lir
Lir
Ler or Lir is a sea god in Irish mythology. His name suggests that he is a personification of the sea, rather than a distinct deity. He is named Allód in early genealogies, and corresponds to the Llŷr of Welsh mythology...
is more often used as the name of the character in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. The legend is part of the Irish Mythological Cycle
Mythological Cycle
The Mythological Cycle is one of the four major cycles of Irish mythology, and is so called because it represents the remains of the pagan mythology of pre-Christian Ireland, although the gods and supernatural beings have been euhemerised into historical kings and heroes.The cycle consists of...
, which consists of numerous prose tales and poems found in medieval manuscripts.
Summary
Bodb DergBodb Derg
In Irish mythology, Bodb Derg or Bodhbh Dearg was a son of Eochaid Garb or the Dagda, and the Dagda's successor as King of the Tuatha Dé Danann....
was elected king of the Tuatha Dé Danann
Tuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
, much to the annoyance of Lir. In order to appease Lir, Bodb gave one of his daughters to marry him, Aoibh. She bore him four children, one girl, Fionnuala
Fionnuala
In Irish mythology, Finnguala was the daughter of Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann...
, and three sons, Aodh
Aed (god)
Aed, or Aodh, is the prince of the Daoine Sidhe and a god of the underworld in Irish mythology. He is known from inscriptions as the eldest son of Lir, High King of the Tuatha de Dannan, and Aobh, a daughter of Bodb Dearg....
and twins, Fiachra
Fiacre
Saint Fiacre was born in Ireland in the seventh century. is an ancient pre-Christian name from Ireland. The meaning is uncertain, but the name may mean "battle king", or it may be a derivative of the word "raven"...
and Conn
Conn
Conn is a surname and a masculine given name meaning "chief" in Irish. As a given name it is also used as a short form of Connor.-American:*Billy Conn was a Light-Heavyweight boxing champion famed for his fights with Joe Louis....
.
Their mother Aoibh died and the children missed their mother terribly and Bodb, wanting to keep Lir happy, he sent another one of his daughters, Aoife, to marry Lir.
Aoife grew jealous of the children's love for each other and their father so she plotted to get rid of the children. On a journey with the children to Bodb's house, she ordered her servant to kill them but the servant refused. In anger, she tried to do it herself, but didn't have the courage. Instead, she used her magic to turn the children into swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
s. When Bodb heard of this, he transformed Aoife into an air demon for eternity.
As swans, the children had to spend 300 years on Lough Derravaragh
Lough Derravaragh
Lough Derravaragh is a lough in County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland, north of Mullingar between Castlepollard, Collinstown, Crookedwood and Multyfarnham...
(a lake near their father's castle), 300 years in the Sea of Moyle
Straits of Moyle
The Straits of Moyle or Sea of Moyle is the name given to the narrowest expanse of sea in the North Channel between northeastern Ireland and southwestern Scotland...
, and 300 years on the waters of Irrus Domnann
Sruwaddacon Bay
Sruwaddacon Bay is a tidal estuary which runs through the middle of the Gaeltacht Kilcommon Parish, Erris, North County Mayo; it is of historical importance in Irish legend, an important marine habitat, an E.U. Special Area of Conservation and an E.U...
Erris
Erris
Erris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Ireland consisting of over , much of which is mountainous blanket bog. It has extensive sea coasts along its west and north boundaries. The main towns are Belmullet and Bangor Erris. The name Erris derives from the Irish 'Iar Ros' meaning 'western...
near to Inishglora
Inishglora
Inishglora is an island off the coast of the Mullet Peninsula in Erris, North Mayo. It has some small neighbouring islands, known as Inishkeeragh. As with its neighbouring Inishkea Islands, Inishglora's geological composition is that of gneiss and schist, similar to the rest of Erris. The island...
Island (Inis Gluaire). To end the spell, they would have to be blessed by a monk. While the children were swans, Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
converted Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
.
Endings
After the children, as swans, spent their long periods in each region, they received sanctuary from MacCaomhog (or Mochua), a monk in Inis Gluaire.Each child was tied to the other with silver chains to ensure that they would stay together forever. However Deoch, the wife of the King of Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
and daughter of the King of Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
, wanted the swans for her own, so she ordered her husband Lairgean to attack the monastery and seize the swans. In this attack, the silver chains were broken and the swans transformed into old, withered people.
Another version of the legend tells that as the king was leaving the sanctuary with the swans, the bell of the church tolled releasing them from the spell. Before they died they each were baptised and then later buried in one grave, standing, with Fionnuala, the daughter, in the middle, Fiacre and Conn, the twins, on either side of her, and Aodh in front of her.
Another ending is that they suffered on the three lakes for 900 years, then they heard the bell. They came back to the land and a priest found them. The swans asked the priest to turn them back into humans, so he did, but they were over 900 years old, so they died and lived happily in heaven with their mother and father.
Cultural references
- The Irish folk song 'Silent O Moyle, Be The Roar Of Thy Water' (the song of Fionnuala), sung to the Air-Arrah by Thomas Moore, tells the story of the children of Lir.
- The story is retold within Gods and Fighting MenGods and Fighting MenGods and Fighting Men - The Story of the Tuatha De Danaan and of the Fianna of Ireland is a collection of tales collated by Lady Augusta Gregory...
by Irish folklorist Lady Augusta GregoryAugusta, Lady GregoryIsabella Augusta, Lady Gregory , born Isabella Augusta Persse, was an Irish dramatist and folklorist. With William Butler Yeats and Edward Martyn, she co-founded the Irish Literary Theatre and the Abbey Theatre, and wrote numerous short works for both companies. Lady Gregory produced a number of...
, first published in 1904. - Irish classical composer Patrick CassidyPatrick Cassidy (composer)Patrick Cassidy is an Irish classical composer.Largely self taught, with no formal music education, he has worked in many various formats, including TV and films. In 2004, he cowrote the album Immortal Memory with Lisa Gerrard from Dead Can Dance...
wrote "The Children of Lir", an oratorio with libretto in the Irish language. - Folk-rock group Loudest WhisperLoudest Whisper-External links:*....
recorded an album The Children of LirThe Children of Lir (Loudest Whisper album)The Children of Lir is the debut album by Irish folk rock/progressive folk group Loudest Whisper. It is the studio adaption of the musical of the same name that was performed in Fermoy, Ireland in 1973...
based on a stage presentation of the legend in 1973–74. - It has been suggested that the site of Lir's castle is currently occupied by Tullynally CastleTullynally CastleTullynally Castle is a castle situated some 2km from Castlepollard on the Coole village road in County Westmeath, Ireland. The famous British Army general, Sir Edward Pakenham GCB, was born and raised in the house...
, home of the Earl of LongfordEarl of LongfordEarl of Longford is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of Ireland. It was first bestowed upon Francis Aungier, 3rd Baron Aungier of Longford, in 1677, with remainder to his younger brother Ambrose. He had previously represented Surrey in the House of Commons and had already been...
, as the name "Tullynally" is the anglicised form of Tullach na n-eala or "hill of the swan". - A statue of the Children of Lir resides in the Garden of RemembranceGarden of Remembrance (Dublin)The Garden of Remembrance is a memorial garden in Dublin dedicated to the memory of "all those who gave their lives in the cause of Irish Freedom"...
, Parnell Square in Dublin, Ireland. It symbolises the rebirth of the Irish nation following 900 years of struggle for independence from England and, later, the United Kingdom, much as the swans were "reborn" following 900 years. - Another statue depicting the legend is located in the central triangular green of the nearby village of CastlepollardCastlepollardCastlepollard is a large village in north County Westmeath, Ireland. Located in the barony of Demifore, in the civil parish of Rathgarve, it lies west of Lough Lene and northeast of Lough Derravaragh and Mullingar.-Name:...
, some three-miles northeast of Lough DerravaraghLough DerravaraghLough Derravaragh is a lough in County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland, north of Mullingar between Castlepollard, Collinstown, Crookedwood and Multyfarnham...
. A plaque outlines the famous story in several languages.
In popular culture
- T.H. White references the Children of Lir in the King Arthur saga, The Once and Future KingThe Once and Future KingThe Once and Future King is an Arthurian fantasy novel written by T. H. White. It was first published in 1958 and is mostly a composite of earlier works written in a period between 1938 and 1941....
. - There is a Russian Celtic-folk band named Clann Lir, led by is Russian vocalist and harpist Natalia O'SheaNatalia O'SheaNatalia "Hellawes" O'Shea is a linguist, songwriter, musician , vocalist and leader of the bands "Melnitsa" , "Clann Lir" and "Romanesque"...
. - Folk metal-band CruachanCruachan (band)Cruachan [kroo-a-khawn] is a Celtic metal band from Dublin, Ireland that has been active since the 1990s. They have been acclaimed as having "gone the greatest lengths of anyone in their attempts to expand" the genre of folk metal. They are recognised as one of the founders of the genre of folk metal...
published a song called "Children of Lir" on their album Folk-LoreFolk-LoreFolk-Lore was released in 2002 by Celtic metal band Cruachan.-Track listing:#"Bloody Sunday" – 4:15#"The Victory Reel" – 1:21#"Death of a Gael" – 5:38#"The Rocky Road to Dublin" – 3:07#"Ossian's Return" – 4:44...
in 2002. - Pagan-metal group PrimordialPrimordial (band)Primordial is an extreme metal band from Skerries, County Dublin, Ireland. It was formed in 1987 by Pól MacAmlaigh and Ciarán MacUiliam . Their sound melds black metal with Irish folk music.-Biography:...
wrote a song called "Children of the Harvest" based on the legend. - Lir's children are referred to by Irish singer Sinéad O'ConnorSinéad O'ConnorSinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
in "A Perfect Indian". - "Children of Lir" is a song depicting the legend sung by SoraSora-Tribe: Sora is the tribe inhabitant the districts of West Siang and East Siang of Arunachal Pradesh in the North-East Indian Himalaya.-Places:Colombia* Sora, Boyacá, a municipio in Boyacá Department, AndeanGermany...
in her album Heartwood. - The Northern-Irish composer Hamilton HartyHamilton HartySir Hamilton Harty was an Irish and British composer, conductor, pianist and organist. In his capacity as a conductor, he was particularly noted as an interpreter of the music of Berlioz and he was much respected as a piano accompanist of exceptional prowess...
wrote the tone poem "The Children of Lir".