The story of the children of layer relates to the mythological race of people the Tuatha Dé Dannan said to inhabit Ireland in pre-Christian times. Lir God of the sea married Aobh daughter of the King of the Tuatha Dé Dannan, with whom he had four children called Aodh, Fionnghuala, and twin boys Fiachra and Conn. Lir’s wife died and he married her sister Aoife. At first, she loved the children dearly, but over time she became jealous of their father’s devotion to them.
One day she took them to Lake Derravaragh, in County Westmeath, where she cast a spell over them turning them into four white swans. Though, transformed into swans they retained human voices and were fated to sing plaintive songs for 900 years. The first 300 were spent on Lake Derravaragh, where many people came to listen to their singing. It is said that all who listened were calmed by their beautiful voices. They passed next 300 years on the Sea of Moyle between Ireland and Scotland. Here, they had to contend with extremes of cold and inclement weather, but they could not leave, as they are fated to remain in the waters there. The final 300 years passed in the waters around the island of Inish Glora.
Finally, the Christian Missionary, St Mochaomhóg came to Inish Glora. The swans heard him ringing a bell calling matins, and became frightened at the sound. However, Fionnghuala declared the sound of the bell would liberate them from the curse of the spell, and so they listened to it. At last, their period of enchantment came to an end and they were turned into three withered old men and an old woman. The saint baptised them and they died peacefully.
