From the recording Ballads
The Fate Of The Children Of Lir
©2024 Sammy & Kylie Horner
Kylie Horner vocals, whistle
Sammy Horner vocals, acoustic guitar
Tim Cotterell fiddle
We wrote this together at an early Mercyland several years ago with the view to making a full album about the famous Irish myth. We had held on to the song but felt it fitted this album very well. There may not be a sadder story in Irish mythology than the one about the children who are turned into swans for 900 years with only their human voices remaining to let others know they are cursed.
Lyrics
I am old and I’m tired as our bodies transform
On Inish Glora we hear the bell toll
And for three hundred years the salt of our tears
Washed away in the cruel briny foam
So lay my head down in the cold dark ground
Our voices no longer shall sing
As they lay us to rest put your head on my breast
And each of you under my wings
My brothers and I must prepare now to die
So one thing we ask that you bring
Lift this curse that we’ve known and cleanse our poor souls
Before we shall meet the high king
So lay my head down in the cold dark ground
Our voices no longer shall sing
As they lay us to rest put your head on my breast
And each of you under my wings
Oh I cannot conceive that your hearts still believe
There’s a place where your life starts anew
But I swear on this place as I gaze on your face
The words that you utter I’ll do
So I’ll lay your heads down in the cold dark ground
Where your voices no longer shall sing
And I’ll lay you to rest with his head on your breast
And the others there under your wings