The Children of Lir is an Irish folk tale that demonstrates the power of family and perseverance, and that love for one another can conquer evil.
The Story in a Wonderful Picture Book
I ran across an eBook version of The Children of Lir a few weeks ago that is absolutely fantastic. The illustrations are gentle and perfect for younger children as well as the rest of us. The story is detailed enough you could easily read this book aloud as a bedtime story.
Audio Drama Version
If you have children who are audio learners, there is a recording of The Children of Lir narrated by Ronnie Drew with radio production-like sound effects that place you right in the middle of the story. I think this may be the most be fantastic of all the options to learning the story. There is much more detail to the story in this version with just the right amount of background sound and music. For younger children, I would play this story using my smart phone or a computer and have my kids occupy their imaginations with art supplies while listening.
Stage Production with Dance and Music
There is also a video of “The Children of Lir” story with a narrator, songs, and Irish dance. This production was recorded live at the Cutler Majestic Theater in Boston in 2009. The story is abbreviated but the dancing and the music is wonderful.
So no matter how you tell the story, think about sharing it with your children. The culture of Ireland is strongly mixed into our own today. The folk tales of their land help to teach your children about the foundations of that beautiful island and, depending on your background, perhaps about their ancestry as well.
