Lochann ana Finscéalta / Lakes of legends

Original Painting

Medium: Acrylic painting on canvas.
Size: 54”x 28”

The Cavan lakes, and indeed those of neighbouring counties, reflect a mix of tranquillity and ancient mystery. In my painting, the four white swans take flight into the evening sky, echoing the well loved “Children of Lir”. This tale has connections to both lake and sea, as the transformed children were said to have spent 300 years on Lough Derravaragh, not far from my home, and another 300 years by Inis Gluaire, off the Mullet Peninsula.
Looming in the background, we see the silhouette of Cloghoughter Castle which occupies an island in the middle of Lough Oughter, in Cavan, while in the foreground, in neighbouring Fermanagh, we see the figure of the ancient two faced figure of Boa Island, the island’s name in Irish being Inis Badhbha, referring to the mythical figure of Badhbh, one aspect of the ferocious Morrigan.