By Rena Bryson

Some of you may know the name Eva’s Echo originates from an Irish Legend titled The Children of Lir. This famous tale begins with mention of Eva (also named as Eve, Aiobh or Aeb) wife and mother to the four children but after her death she is seemingly forgotten. We strive to give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves through our work, and honor Eva through the company name while staying in touch with our Irish roots.

I am currently writing a retelling of the tale titled Ruffled Feathers, as there is so much more to the story than we are told in childhood. Here three things you may not have known.

Eva & Aoife were sisters

The three daughters Oilell of Aran, Eva, Aoife and Ailbhe were fostered by Bodb Derg, son of The Dagda and the The Morrígan. I was unable to find much of their story before the tale of the children of Lir. But I have some theories. Oilell means “mythical queen”, so we can assume they were magical royalty hailing from the Aran Islands. In some sources it is said that the three women were daughters of Ailill of Aran. Ailill mac Máta was the King of Connacht and the 4th husband of Queen Medb. Why they were fostered and moved to from Connacht to Ulster is a mystery, a tale that may be lost to time.

Eva & Lir’s marriage stopped a war

Lir’s first wife (unnamed) died and he was heartbroken. When Bodb Derg was named king of the King of the Tuatha Dé Danann, Lir was enraged as he felt he was a more suitable ruler. To appease him Bodb Derg offered him one of the Oilell of Aran. Eva was selected because she was the oldest. After being essentially gifted a new much younger wife Lir decided that Bodb Derg wasn’t a bad ruler after all. When he eventually married Aoife she was not only his sister in law (and the children’s aunt) but his third and youngest wife.

There are many endings to the story

As with most Irish legends there are many endings to the story. This is because many story’s were passed down aurally through the art of storytelling and some storytellers like to adjust their tales. Many stories endings were also changed by the Catholic church to include religion. In school I had heard that a monk blessed the swans at the end of their 900 years on the water. Which is a far more boring ending than the pagan versions.

In my favorite version of the ending Lairgean the King of Leinster has just married Deoch, the daughter of the King of Munster. Deoch wants the famous singing swans and begs her new husband to capture them as a wedding gift. He captures the swans, two necks in each fist and drags them out of the water. They then transform before him into four 900 year old people. Fionnoula asked him to lay her brother Aodh at her breast, Conn under her right arm and Fiachra under her left so that they could pass on together.

If you’re intrigued to learn more of the tale from Eva & Aoife’s perspective join us for a rehearsed reading of a section from Ruffled Feathers (a work in progress) Friday the 22nd at 7.30pm at the Town Hall Theatre as part of Culture night.