St. Patrick's Day is a holiday brimming with good cheer, filled with spirited festivities where friends and family come together. Originating in Ireland, this day is now celebrated all over the world amongst people of a variety of backgrounds, nationalities, and cultures. At the center of this celebration is a group of small men who cause a stir and leave a mess in their wake. Here are some fun facts about leprechauns for kids who are curious about these little troublemakers.
Funny Leprechaun Facts To Make Kids Giggle
They live in solitude all year long until March when they make a rare appearance, taking full advantage of the opportunity to stir up trouble wherever they go. They appear in children's books about shamrocks, frolicking in fields of green, searching for a lucky four leaf clover and cooking up plans to play some tricks. and Kids will love learning more about the history, folklore, and lifestyle of these mysterious little men. Stories about leprechauns are shared with children, who fully embrace the naughty nature of these mischievous fellows.
(1) Leprechauns work as cobblers to earn their gold.
These tiny men have a reputation for looking for the quickest path to riches, kind of like winning the lottery. Stories often portray them chasing after rainbows in search of pots of gold at the end. The reality, however, is that they are hardworking men who earn their gold by fixing the shoes of fairies. After dancing all day long, fairies in need of shoe restoration seek the assistance of the little people dressed in green.
(2) An Irish man claims to have proof of a real leprechaun.
In 1989, a businessman from a small town in Ireland called Carlingford gained fame by stating he discovered actual leprechaun artifacts. From a wishing well on a mountain called Slieve Foye, the man believes he heard the faint cries of a leprechaun. Upon peering deep into the well, he discovered a tiny green suit, a sprinkling of gold coins, and the remains of a little person who must have fallen to his demise. A new tradition was subsequently born on the mountainside, where every year people come in search of tiny porcelain replicas hidden all over.
(3) A clurichaun is the leprechaun's cousin.
A less endearing relative of the leprechaun, clurichauns are known to overindulge in adult beverages and turn belligerent. Unlike their happy-go-lucky, green-clad cousins, these small men dress in red and bear the reputation as unsavory drunkards. Some folks believe they are actual leprechauns who turn to drink after a hard day's labor. But the more common opinion is that clurichauns are unfriendly creatures who ride on horses around town at night, emptying wine vaults and disrupting the town.
(4) Leprechauns pinch people who don't wear green.
A widely accepted belief among the Irish is that leprechauns only wear green. And, strangely enough, people who wear green are invisible to these funny fellows. Rumor has it that they only pinch people they can see. So to avoid an unpleasant tweak on St. Patty's Day, it is advised to dress in green from head to toe. Don't be surprised if a friendly guest gives you a little pinch on the holiday if you are wearing the wrong attire. This is the one holiday that a playful squeeze is considered socially acceptable!
(5) A tiny park for leprechauns was built in Portland, Oregon.
Mill Ends Park, established in 1976, is the home to a colony of leprechauns. A journalist with a special affinity for St. Patty's Day stumbled across a small hole in the concrete, supposedly from a missing lamppost. Rather than reporting the missing light, he decided to go in an entirely different direction by building a miniature park. The idea took hold amongst community members who contributed to the effort by creating small gardens, a little swimming pool, and other amenities. Rumor has it that a colony of leprechauns meet in the park to enjoy the beautiful space.
(6) Leprechauns hide their treasure.
Known for hoarding great sums of wealth, these tricksters go to great lengths to make sure no one finds their treasure. Many believe they bury pots of gold at the end of rainbows, a very clever place indeed. Folks in search of the hidden gold spend entire lifetimes in search of the elusive rainbow end. Clever treasure seekers may take a different route by trying to capture a leprechaun, who is rumored to grant three wishes in exchange for his freedom.
(7) The term leprechaun is derived from an Irish word that means "tiny body".
The name mischievous elf who is ingrained in Irish folklore is based luchorpan, on an Old Irish reference to dwarfs or those with a really small body. A secondary theory has been circulating since 2019 about the origins of the word "leprechaun." A particular historian traced the word to Lupercalia, a Roman festival, and specifically Luperci, a corporation of priests associated with the somewhat obscure event. Another belief is tied to the common portrayal of leprechauns working on a single shoe. Using folk etymology, leith means half and bróg (or brogue, an outdoor shoe), hence leading to an alternative but similar spelling- leithbrágan.
(8) Thousands of lephrechauns lived across all of Ireland at one point in time.
Today only 236 leprechauns live in a small village called Carlingford. They have made their home in a cavern below the Cooley Mountains. Kevin Woods, a man known as the Leprechaun Whisperer, claims to be in regular communication with Carraig, the patriarch of the leprechaun clan. Through what he describes as an out-of-body experience, Woods describes his encounters in great detail to anyone who willing to listen and believe. This man feels so strongly about their existence that he has petitioned the EU Habitat Directive to add leprechauns as a protected species.
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