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In Irish mythology
Irish mythology

The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branches of Celtic mythology....
, Lir or Ler ("the sea") was the god of the sea, father of Manannan mac Lir
Manannán mac Lir

In Celtic mythology, Manann?n mac Lir Manann?n appears in many Celtic mythology and tales, although he only plays a prominent role in some of them....
, and a son of Elatha
Elatha

In Irish mythology, Elatha was a prince of the Fomorians and the father of Bres by ?riu of the Tuatha D? Danann. The imagery surrounding him suggests he may once have been a moon god....
. In early genealogies, he is named Allód, and corresponds to Llyr
Llyr

Llyr is a figure in Welsh mythology, the father of Bran the Blessed, Branwen and Manawydan by Penarddun. The Welsh Triads mention he was imprisoned by Euroswydd; the Four Branches of the Mabinogi#Branwen, Daughter of Llyr of the Mabinogion names Euroswydd as the father of Penarddun's younger two sons, Nisien and Efnisien....
 in Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology

Welsh mythology, the remnants of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons , has come down to us in much altered form in Medieval Welsh literature such as the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin....
. This figure is most famously portrayed in Shakespeare's play, King Lear
King Lear

King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1603 and 1606, and is considered one of his greatest works....
.

Gaelic References
Lir, like his Welsh counterpart, is a God of the Sea, though in the case of the Gaelic myths his son Manannan mac Lir seems to take over his position and so features more prominently.






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Children of Lir
In Irish mythology
Irish mythology

The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branches of Celtic mythology....
, Lir or Ler ("the sea") was the god of the sea, father of Manannan mac Lir
Manannán mac Lir

In Celtic mythology, Manann?n mac Lir Manann?n appears in many Celtic mythology and tales, although he only plays a prominent role in some of them....
, and a son of Elatha
Elatha

In Irish mythology, Elatha was a prince of the Fomorians and the father of Bres by ?riu of the Tuatha D? Danann. The imagery surrounding him suggests he may once have been a moon god....
. In early genealogies, he is named Allód, and corresponds to Llyr
Llyr

Llyr is a figure in Welsh mythology, the father of Bran the Blessed, Branwen and Manawydan by Penarddun. The Welsh Triads mention he was imprisoned by Euroswydd; the Four Branches of the Mabinogi#Branwen, Daughter of Llyr of the Mabinogion names Euroswydd as the father of Penarddun's younger two sons, Nisien and Efnisien....
 in Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology

Welsh mythology, the remnants of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons , has come down to us in much altered form in Medieval Welsh literature such as the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin....
. This figure is most famously portrayed in Shakespeare's play, King Lear
King Lear

King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1603 and 1606, and is considered one of his greatest works....
.

Gaelic References


Lir, like his Welsh counterpart, is a God of the Sea, though in the case of the Gaelic myths his son Manannan mac Lir seems to take over his position and so features more prominently. It is probable that more myths referring to Llyr/Ler which are now lost to us existed and that his popularity was greater, especially considering the number of figures called 'son of Llyr/Ler'.

Lir is a key character in the well-known mythological story Oidheadh Chlainne Lir
Children of Lir

The Children of Lir is an Irish mythology legend. The original Irish language title is Clann Lir or Leanna? Lir, but Lir is the genitive case of Lear....
; however, it is not definitely established whether this is the same person as Manannán's father or a different Lir. The Lir in this story was the rival of Bodb Dearg for the kingship of the Tuatha Dé Danann after their retreat into the fairy mounds
Sídhe

In Irish mythology, the aos s? are a magical people of immense power, who commanded abilities that rivaled the gods. These creatures were said to live in an alternate existence on the same dimension as humans, only their world was an invisible one....
. In order to appease Lir, Bodb gave one of his daughters to marry him, Aeb. She bore him four children, one girl, Fionnuala
Fionnuala

In Irish mythology, Fionnuala or Fionnghuala or Fionnuala McCoy was the daughter of Lir of the Tuatha D? Danann. In the legend of the Children of Lir, she was Shapeshifting into a swan and cursed by her stepmother, Aoife, to wander the lakes and rivers of Ireland, with her brothers Fiachra, Conn and Aodh, for 900 years until save...
, and three sons, Aed and twins, Fiachra and Conn.

Aeb died and, not wanting the children to remain motherless, Bodb sent another of his daughters, Aoife, to marry Ler. Aoife grew jealous of the children and cursed them to live as swans for 900 years.

See also

  • Children of Lir
    Children of Lir

    The Children of Lir is an Irish mythology legend. The original Irish language title is Clann Lir or Leanna? Lir, but Lir is the genitive case of Lear....


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