In ancient Ireland, there was a renowned king named Lir, who ruled over the seas alongside his beloved wife, Eva. Together, they welcomed four children into the world: Aodh, their eldest son, Fionnula, their daughter, and twin sons Fiachra and Conn. Tragedy struck when Eva passed away, leaving Lir and the children heartbroken. In his desire to provide a motherly figure for his children, Lir wed Eva’s sister, Aoife, who was rumored to possess great magical abilities.
Initially, Aoife showered affection on the children and adored Lir. However, her love soon turned to jealousy as she craved Lir’s undivided attention, particularly from the eldest, Aodh, and Fionnula. One sweltering day, she took the children to a lake where she employed her dark magic to transform them into stunning swans. Understanding that killing them would lead to their spirits haunting her, Aoife chose to imprison them for nine centuries—first three hundred years on Lake Derravaragh, followed by three centuries on the Straits of Moyle, and finally another three hundred years on the Isle of Inish Glora. The children’s enchantment would only lift when they heard the chime of a bell and the arrival of St. Patrick in Ireland.
Despite Aoife’s enchantment, the children retained their voices, which allowed them to serenade their father. In desperation, Lir searched for his children until he finally discovered them at the lake. Fionnula, now a swan, relayed the tale of Aoife’s wicked spell. Filled with rage, Lir banished Aoife into a mysterious mist, never to be seen again. Devastated by the fate that had befallen his children, Lir stood by the lake, where he found solace in their melodic songs. Their initial three hundred years on Lake Derravaragh were made joyful by their music, yet they eventually faced the sorrow of having to part with their father.
The children journeyed to the Straits of Moyle, where they endured three hundred years of turbulent storms and lengthy separations. However, they persevered and eventually reunited to enter the final phase of their transformation on a quiet saltwater lake located on the Isle of Inish Glora. In the meantime, Lir had passed away, leaving their once magnificent castle in ruins.
One day, the swans heard the distant tolling of a bell—one of the first Christian bells to echo through Ireland. Drawn to its sound, they ventured forth, eventually reaching the home of a holy man named Caomhog, who tenderly cared for them in the twilight years of their enchantment.
Tragedy struck once more when a knight in armor, proclaiming to be the King of Connacht, arrived. He sought the mythical swans, threatening destruction to Caomhog’s abode unless the children complied with his demands. Just as he reached for them, the bell tolled again, enveloping the swans in a mist that transformed them back into the children they had once been nine centuries earlier.
The terrified King of Connacht fled, but as the children regained their human forms, they began to age swiftly. Aware of their imminent demise, Caomhog rushed to baptize them, ensuring that their legacy would endure. Thus, they became immortalized as the Children of Lir.
