Molly Bawn

Rudely interrupted from their slumbers by the annoying photographer, they  exchanged glances.


Swans pop up all over the place in Irish myths where people are often transformed into swans due to a curse, or  can shapeshift if necessary. Princess Derbforgaill fell madly in love with the hero Cú Chulainn and turned herself into a swan to be near him - not sure why she though that would work. On seeing the swan, Cú Cuchlainn picked up a stone and hurled it at the bird, who transformed back into the princess. He instantly fell in love with her and saved her life by sucking out the stone. Alas, you can’t marry someone whose blood you have tasted so that all went horribly wrong.  
In the Children of Lir, the second wife of the sea god Lir was so jealous of his four children that she transformed them into swans, a curse to last 900 years. Her badness was revealed and she was turned into a demon and exploded, and after 900 years the children were transformed back into humans - instantly dying as they were so ancient!


And in this mournfully beautiful folk song, Molly Bawn is out wandering, mistaken for a swan and killed by her betrothed. Sung here spine tingingly by Alison Krauss


Amazing how the mind wanders! .