The myth of the Children of Lir is one of the best known Irish tales. Despite the many variations in events, names and places the basis of the story is always the same: A King's children being turned into swans by their witch step mother. It is sadly interesting that the concept of a jealous, nasty step mother persisted over centuries.
It is stated that this myth has been developed around various countries and indeed it is believed to be the basis of the famous ballet Swan Lake.
Given that swans arrived in 12th century Ireland. It is most likely that this myth is an adaptation and development of an even older myth with swans as an addition. A statue of the Children of Lir stands in Dublin (pictured below).
A myth is tale of long ago which is impossible and couldn't have happened but developed to explain a natural event or to entertain people.
Blarney Castle and Gardens, County Corkon 06/01/2023
An Cóbh, Corcaigh, Eireon 05/29/2023
Dublin ; The Book of Kellson 04/04/2023
The Bee Tree Community CIC;- an online support communityon 08/24/2022
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Swans are all officially the property of the reigning monarch. Ling Charles 111 now.
Reading your wizzley again caused me to consider that Ireland configures as Northern and as Republic.
Did swans lose royal-property protection with Irish independence outside Northern Ireland or did that protection transfer to someone or something else or does the Republic not domicile swans?
The second sentence to the last subheading, Conclusion, alerts us that "Swans are fiercely protected in Ireland and Britain where they are considered to be the property of The Queen."
Are the swans royal property of the monarchy in general or of Queen Elizabeth II in particular?
In the latter case, to whom do they belong with the latter's death?
Yes, as with all mythology there is probably an element of truth there, ...the Christian bell sounding and bringing change, the cruel step mother …..
What a sad story! Thank you for the article.
Yes . I smile to myself when people say that they are " Celts " . The Gaels and the Britons adopted incoming Celtic culture as opposed to being Celts themselves. The word comes from Keltoi which means barbarian.
Veronica is quite right on the origin of the British Celts. The Britons told Julius Caesar that the tribes of the coast had come in as incomers, but those of the interior had been in Britain since the beginning, and they believed that the original Britons were the Picts, who had retained the older pre-Celtic culture of Britain. This is consistent with what Veronica was saying about the Britons adopting Celtic culture.
Good point Derdriu
Indeed, the Ancient Britons are believed to have adopted the "Celtic culture" as opposed to being originally Celtic themselves.
The actual term Celtic only became used in approx. the 18th C .
Veronica, Isn't it interesting that Aoife became a demon of the air and that the children were restricted to swimming, not flying, as swans? It always looks to me like there's truth behind Celtic tales. Perhaps this story offers something on the original homeland of the Celts since swans are revered in Indian and Iranian culture and the light-eyed, light-haired, light-skinned Tarim Basin mummies in what is not westernmost China spoke Tokharian, related only to Celtic.
Yes this is how myths and legends change and adapt over time.