Children of Lir



One of the first Irish myths that really stuck in my head was the story of The Children of Lir. Maybe because it was about swans, and I was obsessed with ballet and Swan Lake, or maybe because part of it was reputed to have taken place not far from where I grew up, on the north coast of Ireland. The area around Ballycastle, Kinbane Castle and Rathlin Island have strong connections with this legend, indeed there are many pieces of public art in this area which pay homage to the story.


Many years ago, in Ancient Ireland, there lived a ruler and king of the sea, called Lir. He had a beautiful wife, Eva, and four children. When the children were young Eva died and Lir, wanting his children to have a mother, married her sister, Aoife, who was said to have magical powers. After a while Aoife became jealous of the King’s love for the children and turned them into swans for nine hundred years, including three hundred on the straits of Moyle (the sea that surrounds Ballycastle) ‘Out with you upon the wild waves!’ The spell was eventually broken by a bell heralding St Patrick’s arrival to Ireland.


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Eadach Children of Lir Print Oversized Silk Scarf by Sara O'Neill