1. The Fate of the Children

Of Lir

Eva casting her evil spell on the Children of Lir at Lake Derravaragh.

Lir was a chieftain of a strange tribe of people called the Tuatha De Danann. He had four beautiful children : a girl named Fionnuala, and three sons -- Aodh, Fiachra and Conn. He loved them dearly and since his wife has died he spent most of his time in their company. But the children missed their mother very much and Lir decided that for their sake he would marry again. He chose as his wife the beautiful Eva, daughter of King Bov, the Red. The four children were delighted with their new mother. She was tender and kind to them and they were all very happy together.

Soon, however, Eva noticed that Lir gave little attention to her, but spent all his time with his children. Even the king played all day with them when he came to visit her. She began to grow jealous. She decided that she must get rid of them if she was ever to win the love of her husband.

One day she set out in her chariot for the king's palace and took the four children with her. It was a warm sunny day. When they came to the shore of Lake Derrravaragh, Eva stopped the chariot to let the weary horses rest for a while. The children rushed joyfully into the cool clear lake to bathe. As they splashed about in the water Eva struck them one by one with here fairy wand and changed them into four lovely snow-white swans.

Then the cruel step-mother told them of the fate that awaited them. For three hundred years they would live on this lake, for three hundred more on the sea of Moyle, and their last three hundred years would be spent on Western sea. This spell could not be broken, she told them, until the cound of the first Christian bell was heard in Ireland. She left them, however, their human voices and the power of singing sweet, sad music.

Eva then drove away in her chariot and left the swans gliding on the calm waters of the lake. When she arrived at the king's palace, Bov was very disappointed that she had not brought the children with her. Immediately he sent messengers to Lir asking that the four children be sent to him. Lir was surprised at this request for the palace, for he feared that some foul deed had been done. As he was passing Lake Derravaragh he was amazed to hear four swans calling his nam. Fionnuala spoke to him. She told him how they were and how their wicked stepmother had cast the spell upon them. Grief filled Lir's heart and bitterly for his four lovely children. He stayed with them at the lakeside all through the night, adn early next morning set out for the palace to tell Bov of the cruel deed. In blac anger the king turned to Eva and, before she could excape, he changed her into a monstrous bird with a human head. With a terrible cry she flew into the air and was never seen again.

Then Lir, Bov and all the people of the Tuatha De Danann went to live by the lake where they could speak to the swans ans listen to their singing. Sweeter music was never heard. It brought joy and confort to every one and even eased Lir's sorrow. The swans were happy there on the lake, close to the king, their father and their people.

Year after year passed by and at last their term on the lake came to an end. Sadly the swans said goodby to their sorrowing friends. Then, spreading their great white wings, they rose into the air and headed north to the sea of Moyle. As they flew from sight the king made a law that no one should kill a swan in Ireland from that day on.

On the wild sea of Moyla the swans led a life of harship and suffering. Here they could find no shelter from the bitter winds, the rough seas and the winter frost. They were often hungry, for none of their friends was near to give them food. At night they slept on cold bare rocks. Fionnuala did her best to confort her little brothers and to shelter them from the cold with her great white wings. Each day they sang of their sorrows, and the sweet, sad music was often heard on the far-off shore.

When the second term was up the swans took flight and came to rest on the waters of Erris Bay on the west coast of Ireland. Again they suffered as before from cold, from frost and from strom. Slowly the long years went by and patiently they waited fro an end to their lonely life on the seas.

One summer night Fionnuala was awakened by a strange sound echoing across the calm waters of Erris Bay. It was the ringing of a Christian bell. Joyfully she called her brothers and told them the glad news : soon they would be freed from the wicked spell. Singing a sweet song of praise of God they spread their wings and flew towards the distant shore. There they founf a little church among the trees and inside was a holy Caomhog kneeling in prayer. He greeted them gladly, for he had come specially to Erris Bay to search for the Children of Lir. He tool them to his house and cared for them as they listened with great joy while he told them of the One True God. Each morning they joined in his prayers at Mass and sang many beautiful hymns.

Deoca, the wife of the King of Connacht heard of these wonderful singing swans and wished to have them for herself. Messengers were sent to Saint Caomhog, but the holy monk refused to part with them. The king was very angry at this and came himself to take the swans by force. But as soon as he laid hands on them their feathers fell off and they returned to their human form. But Fionnuala was an old woman and her brothers were while haired, feeble old men. The holy monk baptised them, for he knew that death was near. Fionnuala asked him to bury them together, with Conn on her right hand, Fiachra on her left and Aodh before her face.

When they died Saint Caomhog sadly buried them beside his little church. As he placed a cross over the grave he saw a vision of the four lovely Children of Lir rising towards heaven. They had found happiness at last after their long years of suffering on the lake and on the seas.