antonia’s Reviews > Ireland's Birds – Myths, Legends & Folklore > Status Update

A duck and a seagull had a bet to see which of them would be the first to see the day. The duck was the first to wake and cried out 'Wác! Wác! Wác! Wác!.'

'Hó' said the seagull knowing he was beaten, 'that's the day - I'm too late!'

The kingfisher, with its beautiful, bright colours, was a symbol of peace and good fortune in ancient times. In Classical myth the kingfisher or halcyon was associated with the Halcyon Days, a period of calm in otherwise stormy times.

The Classical beliefs have their origin in the most significant myth about the kingfisher, namely the Greek story of Halcyone (or Alcyone) and Ceyx. Read it, it's interesting