The top o’ the morning to you-Happy St Pattie’s Day and cheers to all things green! Trickery and Greed, fun fables that hold deeper meanings for sure. Please enjoy, as you partake in some interesting and fun facts about Leprechauns in this post. In reading some of the facts about the Leprechauns myth-I found it entertaining that the humans were always tricked by greed. The Leprechaun a wealthy cobbler an oxymoron, and there is dedicated land to the mischievous fabled creatures. Don’t forget to wear some green-rumour has it you might get a “pinch” if you don’t……. Enjoy some light reading.

Myth of the Leprechaun
The legend of the Leprechaun is one of the most enduring myths in Ireland. Originally linked to the Tuatha De Danann of Irish mythology.
According to fables
• Leprechauns are tiny entities that normally take the form of an old man in a red or green coat.
• The modern day depiction of a Leprechaun is that of a man clad entirely in green. However, Irish folklore describes
Leprechauns as men who wore red outfits and tri-cornered hats.
• They are known to be mischievous little creatures that like to make shoes
• Store their gold coins in a pot of gold.
• That gold is hidden at the end of a rainbow.
• If you happen to capture a Leprechaun, he will give you three wishes provided you let him go.

Leprechaun Origin
• Most Leprechaun legends can be traced back to the 8th century tales of water spirits which were known as ‘luchorpán’ which
means ‘small body’.
• It is said that these spirits merged with a household fairy and developed a penchant for heavy drinking so no cellar was
safe!
• The term Leprechaun actually comes from the Irish term ‘leath brogan’ which means shoemaker.
• Leprechauns are often associated with wealth, particularly gold coins
• They are cobblers

The Pot of Gold
• Most common of all Leprechaun myths which says that they find gold coins buried in the earth and store them all in a pot
which is hidden at the end of a rainbow.
• This gold is used as a means of tricking humans and given the Leprechauns’ propensity for trickery.
• The Leprechaun, is a rogue who will deceive whenever he can.
• In rare cases where humans catch Leprechauns in tales, they are easily outsmarted by the magical creature
• The Leprechaun uses a person’s greed against him.

Fun Facts You have to read this!
• Though the legend of the Leprechaun is well over a thousand years old, there was a ‘sighting’ as recently as 1989 by a pub
landlord called P.J O’Hare in Carlingford, County Louth.
• O’Hare claims that he heard screams from a well and found the remains and clothing of a Leprechaun which is on display in
his pub! The town now has an annual Leprechaun hunt though the object of the game is to find plastic versions of the
fabled creature
• Leprechauns are actually a protected species under EU law? Carlingford’s Sliabh Foy Loop trail is officially protected
land for the 236 Leprechauns that apparently live in Ireland.
• A local lobbyist group which contains Kevin Woods, a native of Carlingford, managed to convince the EU that the area
should be protected and now it is under the European Habitats Directive.

Annual Leprechaun Hunt

Recent article in Irish Times referencing the protected land for leprechauns

Genuine Beginnings