In Irish mythology, the children of Lear were turned into singing swans for 900 years by their step-mother Aoıfe. They are then restored to human form but, being 900 years old, die immediately.
“Lır” (in Irish) is the genitive of (the Irish) “Lear” and the story is often referred to in Irish as “Clann Lır“; neither “Lear” nor “Lır” is pronounced like the English “(King) Lear”.
Painted at “Cáısc [Easter] 1995” by “Síle-Na-Gıg”.
Rockville Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 1995 Paddy Duffy
T00154 [T00166]
Paddy Duffy Collection 