Song of the Sea

---

BRONACH (V.O.)

Come away, oh, human child,

to the waters and the wild

with a fairy, hand in hand,

for the world's

more full of weeping

than you can understand.

BRONACH:

Will you try it with me, Ben?

YOUNG BEN:

Okay.

Uh... I forget.

CONOR:

Bedtime. Finish up, you two.

YOUNG BEN:

Dad, look at the selkie. Look!

CONOR:

(in awe)

Oh.

YOUNG BEN:

(excited)

She's singing her song so that she can send all the

fairies home across the sea.

And look, look, she's

turning into a seal.

Do you like the selkie?

CONOR:

She's beautiful.

YOUNG BEN:

But we have to finish it before the baby comes!

BRONACH:

We have lots of time to finish it, Ben.

But it's time to sleep now.

YOUNG BEN:

Okay.

Cu, good boy.

CONOR:

(hushed, to Bronach)

Are you all right?

BRONACH:

(hushed, pained, to Conor)

I'm fine. It's fine.

BRONACH:

(to Ben)

Comfy?

YOUNG BEN:

Mmm-hmm.

BRONACH:

Now, settle down. There's something I want to give you.

YOUNG BEN:

What is it?

BRONACH:

This is an ancient shell that my mother gave me a long time ago.

Hold it to your ear and listen carefully.

You'll hear the song of the sea.

YOUNG BEN:

I can hear the sea.

BRONACH:

Keep listening.

YOUNG BEN:

(yawning)

Mum?

BRONACH:

Yes?

YOUNG BEN:

(sleepy)

I can't wait for the baby to come.

We're going to be best friends, aren't we?

BRONACH:

Of course you are.

You're going to be the best big brother in the world.

CONOR:

Bronach?

YOUNG BEN:

Mum?

BRONACH:

I'm so sorry.

CONOR:

Bronach!

YOUNG BEN:

Mum?

Mum?

BEN:

(excited)

Here, Cu, look at this!

Mum used to tell me the story. It's the giant Mac Lir and his dogs.

They're best friends, like us.

Cu, don't go too close to the water, it's dangerous.

For someone who hasn't learned how to talk, you are really loud.

Oh, come on, Saoirse! Why don't you go down there and play with some rocks, or something?

Hey, Cu, I'm drawing the Great Seanachai. He has loads of hair, like you!

Ugh!

Dad said I'm in charge, and I say there's no going in the water! It's dangerous!

I can't.

Cu, I can't!

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Cu, no!

Whoa!

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

No!

That's it! I'm not looking after you anymore!

You nearly got me KILLED!

Come out, with your hands up!

Don't turn around, keep going.

Dad, she went into the water and nearly got me killed!

Just because it's her birthday, she thinks she can do whatever she likes.

You'd better give it to her this time 'cause I'm not minding her anymore.

Dad!

CONOR:

What? Are you playing cops 'n' robbers?

BEN:

Are you going to give out to her?

CONOR:

Ah! Here's the birthday girl. Come up here to me.

BEN:

Dad!

CONOR:

You were under arrest, were you?

BEN:

...Dad?

Are you here for the birthday

party at the lighthouse today?

Young Saoirse is six, is she?

Well, you old witch.

Ugh! Granny.

She's going to try and make us

move to the city again,

isn't she?

I don't know how you can

live in this awful place.

You children are a state.

Is that your birthday outfit?

Haven't you learnt to speak yet?

The doctors said she

will in her own time.

Hmph.

The child can't be dressed

like that on her birthday.

It's a disgrace!

Put this on.

Little girls only turn six once.

And they need to

be properly dressed.

Now, isn't that lovely?

Don't move now,

until I call you.

No, that's mine!

Mum gave it to me, not you!

Ben!

She's stealing from me again.

She's nothing but

a dirty stealer.

I don't want to hear it.

Saoirse!

Your granny

wants you downstairs.

Now, Saoirse, try some of my nettle

tea and gooseberry buns there.

Very good for the voice.

It might cure you.

Now, everybody ready for Saoirse

to blow out the candles, eh?

I want to capture the

emotion of the day.

One big, happy family.

Smile on the count of three.

Ready?

One,

two,

three!

Ahh!

You little terror!

Ben!

Believe me, life is

better as a dog, Cu.

Stupid Saoirse,

stupid birthdays.

You'll always be my best friend.

The kids are in bed.

I'm just heading over to the

mainland for one with Dan.

You're better off not thinking

about that night, you know.

Her anniversary is

just once a year, Mum.

What do you want?

You want a story?

Hmm. Okay, I'll tell

you a story.

Did you ever hear of

Macha the Owl Witch?

Well, she's evil.

You know the island out at sea?

It's called Mac Lir.

It's called that because it's not an

island at all, it's a huge giant.

Macha's owls took all the giant's

feelings and turned him to stone.

And do you know the worst of it?

She was his mother!

He was her first victim and

she hasn't stopped since.

To this day, all the fairies are

afraid to come out on Halloween night

because if they do,

Macha's owls will find them

and take their feelings

and turn them to stone.

Tomorrow is Halloween.

Macha's owls

might even come here

and take Dad's feelings

and turn him to stone!

And then nobody would love you.

And this is

what Macha looks like.

Saoirse, it's just

one of Mum's stories.

It's not real.

Saoirse!

Saoirse!

The child.

Oh, my gosh. Oh, my good...

This is the last straw now.

I'll not have any more of this

wild carry-on. No more of it!

Now look, you've caught a cold.

Did you know she was up?

- Wha...

- What's wrong?

I found her washed up

on the shore in the

middle of the night.

She's not safe

in this awful place.

- I know what's best.

- Hold on a second, Mum.

No, you hold on.

Where were you?

Off in the pub with that

old fool of a ferryman.

This is no place

for children, Conor,

this is no place for a family.

That's the end of it now.

I need to take my medicine.

Oh, Saoirse.

Dad, where did she get this?

Give me that.

I can't lose her, too, Bronach.

Stubborn boy.

I'm not going.

You can't make me.

I know what's best for you.

So, you'd better

stop this nonsense

at once and do what you're told.

It's not fair. Please,

at least let me take Cu.

I don't want to go!

Be quiet, Ben.

Get in the car and stop

all this carry-on.

Dad! Dad,

tell her I won't go.

Please, Dad?

I'm staying with you.

Dad.

No, Dad, no! It's Saoirse's

fault, not mine.

Why do I have to go?

Don't make me go!

Let me out!

Stop it, Ben! Will you?

Dad?

Dad!

Cu!

Stay away from the

water, you'll drown.

I'll come back

for you, I promise.

What's the matter with you, Ben?

Granny wouldn't

let Cu come with us.

Ah, the old witch.

Would you look at that?

Look, Ben, seals.

There haven't been seals

around here for years.

Ben, there will be no tears

in this car, or in my house.

Do you hear me, Ben?

The city is no place

for a dog of Cu's size.

He'd only be whimpering

and whining there.

You wouldn't want that

for him now, would you?

You will love it in the

city, Ben, I know you will.

Oh, isn't this nice?

I love this song.

Our bathroom's upstairs, dear.

Don't use the good towels,

they're only for guests.

Ohh!

Huh?

My best coat.

It's not even 4:
00.

No-one goes to

bed at this time.

Look at that now,

it is completely ruined.

Goodness gracious, have

they no homes to go to?

Ooh!

It's not safe.

What the...

Are you the selkie?

Get out of that, will you?

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