The Enchanting History of Leprechauns

In mid-March, a sea of green descends across towns all around the United States. St. Patrick’s Day has officially arrived, and all kinds of decorations can be found, from shamrock-shaped window clings to Guinness-inspired yard signs. However, if there’s one figure that’s most recognizable for St. Patrick’s Day, it’s got to be the leprechaun. 

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What Is a Leprechaun?

Leprechauns are small male fairies who have an elderly appearance. They’re known to be quite grumpy, live solitary lives, and spend their days making shoes. Often depicted with a long red beard, they wear green coats and hats that make them instantly identifiable.

Why Are Leprechauns Associated with Gold?

Perhaps the most famous feature of the leprechaun is what they’re said to guard: gold. 

Legend says that leprechauns find single gold coins on the ground, then collect them and put them in a special pot at the bottom of a rainbow. The gold is impossible for a human to find, unless they happen to hear the faint sound of a leprechaun’s little hammer as they work away on their shoes. Even if you track them back to their work station, good luck catching them — they’re famously quick and agile, meaning they can get away from nearly anyone. 

If you do happen to catch one, you’re in luck. In exchange for his release, the leprechaun is said to do one of two things: 

• Show you his treasure of gold coins 
• Grant you three wishes

Yet, don’t get lulled into complacency. The leprechaun still has one trick up his (very green) sleeve. If you look away from the leprechaun at any time while he’s under your watch, he’ll disappear. The leprechauns know this and are very tricky in getting their captors to glance away for just a moment so they can make their escape. 

For this reason, folklore rarely shows anyone getting to the gold. In a final twist of irony, it seems the leprechauns don’t even want the gold — they just get a kick out of tormenting humans with the lure of it. 

Where Did the Legend of the Leprechaun Come From?

The tale of the tiny and spry leprechaun goes back to ancient Celtic culture, long before a written language was established. There are a few origin stories about how the first leprechaun came to life, but it’s believed that the version we know today probably comes from a combination of the different backstories. 

Lugh, the Celtic God

Millennia ago, Lugh was the Celtic god of sun and light. He was worshipped by the Celts for many generations, but his influence began to diminish as Christianity spread throughout ancient Ireland. 

To reflect the decline of the Celtic influence, Lugh began to physically shrink until he was so small that he went to live in the underground world of the sidhe (where other Irish fairy creatures resided). By this point, he was known as “Lugh-chromain” or “stooping Lugh,” which would explain the leprechauns’ small stature. 

The Water Sprites

Another possible source for the curmudgeonly green-favoring creature lies with a group of mischievous water elves. In ancient Celtic lore, the hero Fergus is taking a nap when a group of small sprites, called luchorpáin, take away his sword and try to drag him into a body of water. 

However, Fergus’ foot touches the water and wakes him. Before the fairies can react, Fergus has three of them in his hand. He only lets them go when they’ve agreed to grant him three wishes, including giving him the ability to breathe underwater like they do. This could be where the wish granting aspect comes from.

The Clúracán Monsters

A more mischievous beginning of the leprechaun may have been from the clúracán monsters. In European folklore outside of Ireland, the male clúracán are small creatures who haunt cellars and are mostly occupied with stealing alcohol from their hosts. 

They also are known to carry a bag of silver coins, which could be where leprechauns get their association with gold coins. 

The Far Darrig

Finally, the legend of the leprechaun may have some foundation in the story of the far darrig. The far darrig, right off the bat, get a pretty rough description: they’re ugly, haggard fairies with the wrinkled face of an old man. 

The far darrig can change his size, so sometimes he can appear gigantic, while other times he’s miniature. Again, we’re dealing with a mischievous creature here. Yet, the far darrig’s pranks go further than any other fairy. Sometimes, the target of the far darrig’s “fun” dies after all is said and done. 

How the Leprechaun Has Changed Over the Years

Hundreds of years ago, the leprechaun shared some qualities that we’re familiar with today, but also had some very different features. 

For instance, many leprechauns were depicted as wearing red coats, not green. The Irish poet Yeats explained that fairies who lived in a group wore green; the loner leprechaun, on the other hand, signified his lone wolf status by wearing red. 

In the 17th and 18th centuries or so, leprechauns started becoming the favorite fairy for authors to write about. Because of this, they started becoming a well-known creature all around Europe. Since Ireland’s national color, even back then, was green, the Irish creature soon started becoming associated with the color. 

Additionally, while they were once known as cobblers, people began to say that leprechauns weren’t actually making shoes, they were simply repairing their own shoes that wore out so quickly from their superhuman speed. 

Somewhere in the last century or so, the leprechaun has taken on a more child-friendly image, like the Lucky Charms mascot, Lucky. 

He’s dressed in a green coat, has red hair, and has old-fashioned shoes with buckles on them. Generally, he’s considered to be very jolly, which is quite different from the sour old men leprechauns of the past. 

Are There Any Female Leprechauns?

Everything we’ve mentioned has been focused around the male leprechaun. Are there any instances of a female leprechaun?

No, there really aren’t. There are examples of other kinds of fairies who are females, but leprechauns are specifically only depicted throughout history as being male. So does that mean leprechauns just spawn onto the Earth? Or are they born to other fairies, and perhaps do something to be subjected to the lonely life of a leprechaun? 

Unfortunately, folklore only goes so deep into a magical being’s background. So we’ll let you be the judge of their backstory.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

While the leprechaun may be a legend, the Irish culture that is celebrated every St. Patrick’s Day is very real. The US has a long history of Irish immigrants — one that is interwoven with prejudice, crime syndicates, and everyday people. 

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To discover other St. Patrick’s Day legends, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. To read about other legends and lore from around the world, check out our blog. 

Sources:

• https://www.worldhistory.org/Leprechaun/
• https://usghostadventures.com/
• https://www.britannica.com/art/leprechaun
• https://historycooperative.org/leprechaun/