Lir or Ler (meaning "Sea" in Old Irish; Ler and Lir are different forms used in Old Irish) is a sea god in Irish mythology. His name suggests he represents the sea rather than being a separate god. He is called Allód in early family records and is connected to the Welsh god Llŷr. Lir is mainly known as an ancestor and is the father of the god Manannán mac Lir, who appears often in medieval Irish stories. Lir is the main character in the tale The Children of Lir.

Gaelic references

Lir, similar to his Welsh counterpart Llŷr, is a god of the sea. In Gaelic myths, his son Manannán mac Lir takes over his role and appears more often in stories. It is likely that many myths about Lir were once known but are now lost, especially since many figures are called "son of Lir."

In the 9th century AD, an Irish glossary called Sanas Cormaic, written by the well-known bishop and scholar Cormac mac Cuilennáin, mentions Manannan and his father Lir, whom Cormac connects to the sea.

Lir is a main character in the mythological story The Children of Lir. However, it is not certain whether this Lir is the same as Manannán’s father or a different figure. In this story, Lir competes with Bodb Dearg for the kingship of the Tuatha Dé Danann after they retreat into fairy mounds. To please Lir, Bodb gives one of his daughters, Aeb, to marry him. They have four children: one girl named Fionnuala and three sons, Aed and twins named Fiachra and Conn.

After Aeb dies, Bodb sends another daughter, Aoife, to marry Lir. Aoife becomes jealous of the children and curses them to live as swans for 900 years.

In the Metrical Dindshenchas, Lir is listed as the father of Crofhind the Chaste, described as "all-famous."

In the poem "Baile Suthain Sith Eamhain," Midir is named as Lir’s father and Manannan’s grandfather. In The Adventures of Art son of Conn, a son of Lir is named Lodan.