Leprechaun legends reveal little truths
MATTHEW BLACKBURN
Culture Writer
Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: Culture
The old religion of Ireland didn't quite survive the intrusion of Christianity a millennium and a half ago, but much of it has been preserved in stories and legends, their gods and spirits following in the footsteps of their predecessors to the annals of mythology.
Most of these can be found in several cycles: the Mythological Cycle, the Ulster Cycle, the Ulaid cycle, the Fenian Cycle and the Historical Cycle.
Listed among these fantastical and magical beings are the All-Father Dagda, the Mother Goddess Danu, the Tuatha Dé Danann (later to become fairies or "The Fair Folk"), the brownies, the changelings, the trolls, the elves, etc.
The list goes on and on, but the most well-known, and perhaps most legendary, is the leprechaun.
This type of male fairy (it's actually supposed to be spelled "faerie") is associated, as are all the fairies, with the Tuatha De' Danann, who according to legend are the fifth race to inhabit Ireland before the Celts came.
But it is difficult to define what this creature is and what he does; the myths and legends are quite convoluted.
Most people think that leprechauns are short, old-looking men bedecked in green (though it used to be red). Their hats also look suspiciously like a Puritan's.
The second image is that of a huge pot of gold, usually at the end of a rainbow, making this magical being the next best thing to a genie.
However, these things only scratch the surface of what defines a leprechaun.
First and foremost, these creatures are cobblers (shoemakers), making them the craftsmen of the fairies.
This is a surprising career for a being who supposedly guards pots of gold, but apparently back in ancient Ireland, a man who worked in leather was only second in the village to the blacksmith.
They are not merely craftsmen, they are also the richest and thriftiest professionals among their kind, guarding many buried treasure crocks.
This is where the legend about catching a leprechaun and forcing him to show where his treasure comes from.
Most of these can be found in several cycles: the Mythological Cycle, the Ulster Cycle, the Ulaid cycle, the Fenian Cycle and the Historical Cycle.
Listed among these fantastical and magical beings are the All-Father Dagda, the Mother Goddess Danu, the Tuatha Dé Danann (later to become fairies or "The Fair Folk"), the brownies, the changelings, the trolls, the elves, etc.
The list goes on and on, but the most well-known, and perhaps most legendary, is the leprechaun.
This type of male fairy (it's actually supposed to be spelled "faerie") is associated, as are all the fairies, with the Tuatha De' Danann, who according to legend are the fifth race to inhabit Ireland before the Celts came.
But it is difficult to define what this creature is and what he does; the myths and legends are quite convoluted.
Most people think that leprechauns are short, old-looking men bedecked in green (though it used to be red). Their hats also look suspiciously like a Puritan's.
The second image is that of a huge pot of gold, usually at the end of a rainbow, making this magical being the next best thing to a genie.
However, these things only scratch the surface of what defines a leprechaun.
First and foremost, these creatures are cobblers (shoemakers), making them the craftsmen of the fairies.
This is a surprising career for a being who supposedly guards pots of gold, but apparently back in ancient Ireland, a man who worked in leather was only second in the village to the blacksmith.
They are not merely craftsmen, they are also the richest and thriftiest professionals among their kind, guarding many buried treasure crocks.
This is where the legend about catching a leprechaun and forcing him to show where his treasure comes from.
Be the first to comment on this story