PHOTOGRAPHED OCTOBER 12 2025
THE GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE FEATURING THE CHILDREN OF LIR [PHOTOGRAPHED OCTOBER 12 2025]
Dublin’s Garden of Remembrance, a site of quiet contemplation and national pride, is a poignant memorial to those who sacrificed their lives for Irish freedom. Central to its design and symbolism is the magnificent bronze sculpture depicting the “Children of Lir,” a powerful allegory for Ireland’s own journey of struggle and eventual rebirth.
Located in Parnell Square at the northern end of O’Connell Street, the Garden was officially opened by President Éamon de Valera in 1966, marking the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising. The site itself is steeped in history, having been part of the original Rotunda Gardens and a location where some of the 1916 Rising leaders were held captive. The garden’s design, by architect Dáithí Hanly, is rich in symbolism. A sunken cruciform water feature, representing a shield, lies at its heart. The floor of the pool is adorned with a mosaic of broken swords and spears, a Celtic tradition signifying the end of hostilities.
The focal point of the garden is the dramatic and moving sculpture of the Children of Lir, created by the artist Oisín Kelly and added in 1971. The sculpture illustrates a well-known Irish legend in which the four children of King Lir are transformed into swans by their jealous stepmother, doomed to spend 900 years in that form before being returned to their human shapes, old and withered, only to die shortly after.
This tale of endurance, sorrow, and eventual transformation is used as a powerful metaphor for Ireland’s long and arduous struggle for independence. The sculpture, depicting the moment of transformation with figures emerging from the swans, symbolises the rebirth of the Irish nation after centuries of foreign rule. It is a testament to the resilience of the Irish spirit and the ultimate achievement of freedom.
Surrounding the sculpture, a poem by Liam Mac Uistín, “We Saw a Vision” (An Aisling), is inscribed in Irish, English, and French on the wall of the apse, further articulating the themes of hope and sacrifice.
The Garden of Remembrance, with the Children of Lir at its heart, serves as a serene and powerful space for reflection. It commemorates pivotal moments in Irish history, including the 1798 Rebellion, the 1803 Rebellion of Robert Emmet, the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848, the Fenian Rising of 1867, the Easter Rising of 1916, and the Irish War of Independence. It is a place where visitors can contemplate the sacrifices made in the pursuit of Irish sovereignty and the enduring power of myth and symbolism in shaping a nation’s identity. In a significant gesture of reconciliation, Queen Elizabeth II laid a wreath at the garden during her historic state visit to Ireland in 2011.