The Children of Lir were members of the Tuatha De Danann. Their grandfather, Bodb Dearg was the king of the Tuatha De Danann. Lir, who probably expected that he would be the king, was upset over Bodb being elected so Bodb gave him one of his daughters to be his wife. Aoibh and Lir had 4 children; one daughter, Fionnuala, a son named Aodh, and twin sons named Fiachra and Conn. Tragically, Aoibh died while giving birth to the twins leaving behind her husband and her 4 young children. Bobd them sent another of his daughters, Aoife, to be Lir’s new wife.
Transformation
Aoife was extremely jealous of the relationship between Lir and his children and the love they still had for their mother. Aoife tried to get a servant to kill the children, but when the servant refused Aoife turned the children into swans instead. However, they still had voices and could speak to one another. She told them that they would have to remain swans for 900 hundred years until they would be blessed by a monk representing a new god.
The children had to remain in three separate locations for 300 years at a time. Those locations were the Lough Derravaragh, the Sea of Myle, and the Isle of Glora. During those years various people took care of the children, even chaining them together so that they would never be separated.
Aoife told Lir that the children had been attacked by wild boars and killed. However, Fionnula came to her father and told him what had happened. When Bodb found out about what his daughter had done he turned her into an air demon.
Liberation
In the time between when the children were first turned into swans and 900 hundred years had passed, St. Patrick had brought Christianity to Ireland; this represented a new god. One day The Children of Lir met a Christian monk who blessed and baptized them, which turned them back into humans. Since they were 900 years old, the children died, but they died after being converted to Christianity. Some versions of the folktale have St. Patrick blessing the children.
The story of the Children of Lir was embraced by those working for Irish independence during the 19th and 20th century. A statue of the children stands in the Garden of Remembrance in Parnell Square, Dublin. They symbolize the rebirth of the Irish nation after 900 years of struggle for independence.
Susan Keeping - Susan has been writing online for over 10 years and is currently developing a website for women.
