A Butterfly lights besides us like a sunbeam …
Many of the ancient civilizations believed that butterflies were symbols of the human soul, and in Irish mythology the butterflies, or ‘Féileacáin’, are said to be the spirits of the departed who return to visit their favourite place and their loved ones to reassure them that they are alright.
Up to the 1600s it was against common law in Ireland to kill a white butterfly because they were believed to hold the souls of dead children.
Universally it is believed that butterflies are the physical symbols of the human soul, and they have been held in love and awe. Native American legends tell that butterflies would carry wishes to the Great Spirit in heaven to be granted.
We have chosen the symbol of the butterflies for Féileacáin to honour our children and to offer hope to other bereaved parents in their journey of loss.