Spark & Bell: Lighting collection inspired by Irish tale of the Children of Lir

Growing up in Ireland, Spark & Bell founder, Emer Gillespie, was often enchanted by the folklore of the Emerald Isle and none held her affection more so than the tale of the Children of Lir, condemned to the wilds for 900 years.

In this traditional tale, the children of the great Irish lord Lir are turned into swans by their jealous stepmother, Aoife, who could no longer bear his tenderness and care for his children. Banishing them to water for 900 years, she left them only with the powers of speech, reason and dignity.

Saddened by the mysterious disappearance of his children, Lir visited the shores of beautiful Lough Derravaragh to seek solace and came upon four swans singing beautifully. Instantly he knew what his jealous bride had done. Her actions had not only angered Lir, but her father too, King Bodh, who turned Aoife into a demon of the air, forever above in the skies of County Mayo.

Yet still, for 900 years the Children of Lir were bound to water and this is where the story of Spark & Bell’s “Eala” light begins. Emer spent much time in her childhood besides Lough Derravaragh, taken there by her father who grew up close to its shores. For “Eala” (Gaelic for swan), she wanted to capture the picturesque, glistening movement of the lake connected so strongly to her youth, and cherish the pristine white feathers of swans from this legendary Irish tale.

Emer approached local Brighton-based ceramicist, Katie Preece, to bring the Children of Lir to life in an exclusive Spark & Bell wall light using the potter’s unique lino relief technique.

Working together, the pair created a series of variations, refining to an abstract pattern that Katie cut from linoleum to give her ceramic pieces a unique texture. Katie presses this relief linocut into every piece of clay she uses for Spark & Bell lights. It gives the fired discs of “Eala” a distinct textured look, as if rippling water or the layering of feathers, and has become the signature for Katie’s work in every piece.

“Eala” is available as a wall light and pendant light in graceful white, pink or natural. The ceramic discs are batch-made by Katie at her pottery studio in Brighton before collection by Spark & Bell to be handmade to order into “Eala” lights at its Portslade workshop, just a short drive away.

Assembled from component pieces that allow individual replacement, just as with every Spark & Bell light, “Eala” comes with a lifetime repair service and can be customised in terms of metal finish and for the pendant, cord length and colour.

The influence of the Children of Lir can also be found in the four opal glass globes of  the “Lir” pendant light, representing the spellbound Fionnghiala, Aodh, Fiachra and Conn, and Katie’s signature print can also be found in the “Aureole” wall light.

About Spark & Bell

Spark & Bell is a B Corp lighting design studio that is pioneering a new era of sustainable lighting, combining community focused craftsmanship with quality and responsible materials in its contemporary design pieces.

Based in Brighton, Spark & Bell is committed to bringing high-quality, bespoke lighting directly to consumers and interior designers. Founded by Emer Gillespie in 2015, the studio has a reputation for excellence and environmental and social responsibility.

Championing circular design principles in daily practice, Spark & Bell supports domestic suppliers and collaborates with local artisans working in wood, ceramics, cork and jesmonite. It has also taken to developing materials from sources headed for landfill. This appreciation for local heritage craft and dedication to sustainability is resonating with a growing customer base that values both environmental responsibility and unique aesthetics.

In recognition of a steadfast commitment to ethical practices and corporate responsibility, Spark & Bell has received B Corp™ certification with a score of 100.6. Highly impressive for a company undergoing its first assessment under the internationally recognised standard.

You can find Spark & Bells’ lights in House of Estila, Clerkenwell, London.

For more information please visit sparkandbell.com.

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