Lirnach
And that winter, Hunger came to the village as a thief. In the night it crept from home to home, stealing peace, stealing breath, stealing hope. In Rìona's home, hunger stole her husband, and then the milk from out her breast. When it stole the cries of the twins, too starved to even beg for food, Rìona lost hope. She gathered the babes in her arms and walked to the seashore. She could no longer watch them suffer, and could not leave them behind. She stepped into the sea, and the chill waters caught her tears and carried them to the Sea Mother.
As Rìona walked slowly into the waters, two otters came from the sea and pressed themselves against her. Another pair appeared, and linked hands around her. She was buoyed by them, and the twins too, so that none could sink below the waves. Then Lirnach arose, the Sea Mother. Her body was sleek and furry like the otters and seals who were sacred to her. She embraced Rìona and took the children to her breast, feeding them until they were sated and sleepy. As they drank, Rìona watched fur grow upon their skin, and their features change to be more like the otters. Lirnach passed the infant Selkies to the otters who attended her and they floated atop the waters, hands linked in contented sleep. Then Lirnach took Rìona herself in her arms and fed her as well. The goddess's milk filled Rìona with love and comfort unknown to her that winter, and she felt the water itself become warmer and more loving as her body transformed.
When Rìona returned the village in the morning, they named her Boireannach Dòbhrain, the Otter Woman. She and her children brought fish to the villagers and told them of the Sea Mother's offer - that any who would choose to become like her could come into the waters and receive her blessing. And so they became Selkies, and the Dòbhran.
- Myth about the origins of the Dòbhran Selkies
Lirnach is one of the Ellyll, and the goddess of the waters around the Arcaibh Islands and Zhetland. She is also the patroness of the Dòbhran selkies, who transformed them from humans so that they might better survive. She is known as the Sea Mother, or the Sea Mither in the dialect of Zhetland.
Manifestation
Lirnach will most often appear as an otter or a seal, but has also been known to appear as a Selkie woman. She is always female, and encounters with her frequently include her providing food, either milk or fish. She is most likely to appear to women and children, and the place most sacred to her is the sunken chapel on Uan.
Ceremonies & Celebrations
Twice during the year the Dòbhran hold festivals especially dedicated to Lirnach. The first is held at Imbolc, halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. According to Dòbhran tradition, this is when Rìona and her children became the first Selkies, and a great festival is held each year to honor Lirnach's gift. The celebration begins in the middle of the night, when whole communities of the Dòbhran walk into the sea and spend the night in the water, returning with the sunrise and Lirnach's blessing on the new year. During the rest of the day, they mark the occasion with feasting, storytelling, and many communities will hold competitions for the best dancers.
The second ceremony that is especially dedicated to Lirnach is at the autumn equinox, when they beseech her aid in surviving the coming winter. This is a more solemn event than Imbolc, and involves reflection upon the last year and the individual's place in the community. The day before the the equinox is a time for feasting, but on the equinox and every day thereafter until Imbolc is a day of simple meals and indoor pursuits (excepting the Candle feast around the winter solstice).
In addition to these annual celebrations, Lirnach is called upon during childbirth and during any childhood illness. She is the protector of mothers and children, and Dòbhran women will labor in the ocean whenever it is possible to do so, so that Lirnach may ease the birth and bless the child.
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