Irish Folklore: The Children of Lir

The Children of Lir is a beautiful old Irish story of loss and enduring love. It is one of our island's most famous legends and the inspiration for several of our jewellery designs. Like many Irish legends, the ending is bittersweet, without the "Happily Ever After" that is more common in stories these days. But it's a beautiful story with everything you would expect in a fairytale and well worth retelling!

In the words of Douglas Hyde, Ireland's first President:

"It is the saddest and the softest tale
That ever harper harped, or wordful bard
… e’er framed in song."

So do read on to learn more about the bittersweet fate of the Children of Lir.

Love, Death and Betrayal

As a story, the Children of Lir has it all... Love, death, betrayal, and one very evil stepmother.

King Lir was an ancient ruler of Ireland and one of the Tuatha Dé Dannan, or the Tribe of the Gods. Lir had four beautiful and beloved children with his much-loved wife Aobh; The eldest boy (Aodh), a daughter (Fionnghuala), and twin boys, Fiachra and Conn. Sadness came to their idyllic lives when Aobh tragically died after the birth of the twin boys. Preserving strong connections with his wife's powerful family, King Lir quickly remarried Aoife, Aobh's younger sister. Struggling with her new role as mother to her niece and nephews, Aoife grew jealous of Lir's great love for his children. In a fit of murderous rage to top any fairytale evil stepmother, she cast a spell on the children, changing them into four swans.

And despite the fact that Aoife reportedly immediately regretted her action, it was too late. The children were doomed to spend nine hundred years as swans, living between three bodies of water around Ireland: Lough Derravaragh, The Sea of Moyle, and Inis Gluaire.

On hearing of her evil deed, Aoife was harshly punished by her powerful father, King Bobh Dearg. The grieving grandfather changed his wicked daughter into an air demon for all eternity. It's said you can hear her sorrowful and remorseful cries on the wind in Ireland to this day.

Small Mercies

In a small act of mercy, Aoife left the children their beautiful voices. On passing the lake near his castle, King Lir was amazed to hear four swans singing sweetly to him. And being the dutiful and doting father that he was, the King came to live by the lake to be with them.

The great King eventually grew old and died, leaving his swan children to endure wind and rain on the wild waters of Ireland alone. After spending nine hundred years cursed, Aoife's spell on the children was finally broken with the ringing of a church bell. A monk, some say St Patrick himself, baptised them when they regained their human form. Much aged, they were then said to have passed away peacefully and were buried together, rejoining their beloved parents in heaven.

Mixing Celtic and Christian

Like so many Irish stories, this bittersweet legend mixes magical elements that weave Ireland's ancient pagan and druidic roots together with a Christian message of fidelity, love, and faith, bringing freedom from suffering. The resulting story has resonated through the centuries and is still loved in Ireland today.

It is believed that the version we tell today is drawn from the oldest written record of the tale, dating from the 15th century. The tale doesn't seem to have a much older oral tradition. So in terms of Irish history, it is actually quite a new edition!

An Inspiring Tale

It may not be truly ancient, but with such a haunting and beautiful story, it is not at all surprising that it has inspired many works, including sculpture, like the monument in the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin, beautiful paintings, and even several of our jewellery designs.

Jewellery Fit for a President

Former Irish President, Mary McAleese proudly sported a Children of Lir brooch crafted by master silversmith, Aidan Breen, at many state functions.

With the jewellery capturing the elegant form of the four swans in silver or gold, our Children of Lir designs are stunning pieces that can be passed down through generations. And each piece is shipped with a booklet telling this wonderful story so it can be shared with friends and family continuing an Irish tradition of storytelling, hundreds of years old.

Find out More

We hope you have enjoyed reading about a small piece of Ireland's rich culture and folklore. Check out our for more stories like these on our blog, or browse our Folklore collection for beautiful designs, inspired by our rich history and culture.