Song of the Sea - Characters & Cast

Initially, his motivation is selfish: to get back home and away from his Granny and sister. This evolves into a desperate need to save Saoirse as he understands she will fade away without her coat and her song. His ultimate motivation becomes atoning for his past cruelty and keeping his family together.

Ben begins the film as a resentful and bitter older brother, blaming his mute sister Saoirse for the loss of their mother. He is initially selfish and fearful, particularly of the sea. Through their journey, he is forced to become a protector. He rediscovers the value of his mother's stories, learns the truth about her disappearance, and confronts his own guilt. His arc culminates in him overcoming his fear of water to save Saoirse, fully embracing his role as a loving, responsible older brother.

Saoirse is driven by an instinctual pull towards the sea and her selkie nature. Her primary motivation is to be reunited with her selkie coat, which she needs to survive. She also possesses an innate desire to heal and bring harmony, which is ultimately expressed through her song.

Saoirse is mute for the first six years of her life and is defined by her otherness. Her journey is one of self-discovery as she learns she is a selkie, the last of her kind. While she doesn't have a dramatic change in personality, her arc is about finding her voice and embracing her magical identity to fulfill her destiny. At the end, she is given a choice between the magical and human worlds and chooses to stay with her family, solidifying her dual nature.

His overriding motivation is a desire to protect his children from the pain and danger he associates with the sea and the loss of his wife. This fear, born of love, causes him to make decisions—like throwing away the coat or letting Granny take the children—that inadvertently harm them.

Conor is a lighthouse keeper who is emotionally lost at sea, submerged in grief over the disappearance of his wife, Bronagh. This grief makes him withdrawn and unable to properly connect with his children. His fear of further loss causes him to lock away Saoirse's coat. His arc is about re-engaging with his children and his life. By the end, after witnessing the magic and understanding the truth, he is able to process his grief and become the loving father his children need.

Macha is motivated by a desire to end suffering. Having seen her own son's overwhelming grief, she believes that emotions are a curse and that removing them is an act of mercy.

Macha, the Owl Witch, serves as the film's antagonist, but she is not purely evil. Her actions are motivated by a twisted form of love and grief over her son, the giant Mac Lir, who nearly drowned in his own sorrow. To prevent anyone from feeling such pain, she removes their emotions, turning them to stone. Her arc is one of realization. When Ben helps her understand the damage her actions have caused, her own feelings are restored, and she transforms from a villain into a helper, aiding the children on their quest.