School: Coill an tSrotha (roll number 5352)

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1. The Leipreachán

   

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   A lepreachan is to be found in a rath or fairy fort. He wears a red cap and cloak and shoes with the toes turned up. When passing a fairy fort after twelve o'clock at night the "click-click-click" of his hammer on the shoes, is to be heard. Shoe making is his only occupation.

   The people would not break a branch from the tree under which he works as some misfortune would befall them if they did so. It is said that if a person was able to catch the lepreachan and not let him go until he tells where a crock of gold is hidden, be would get one from him. The lepreachan has a cat protecting each pot of gold so that people are afraid to dig for it.

   Years ago a man named Johny Tierney caught a leipreachan and got a crock of gold from him on condition that he never would interfere with the leipreachan's residence. Johny agreed with the Leipreachan but when he went home he discovered that it was withered leaves that were in the pot instead of gold. It is said that a leipreachan keeps house for the fairies and repairs shoes for them.

   A leipreachan is only the size of a man's hand. There is one old fairy fort situated in the townland of Loughross. It is guarded by brushes and is of a round shape. All the people living in the townland would not touch it because it is said that the hand would fall off them if they did so. Every year at Halloween there are lights to be seen round it and all the fairies are dancing round it.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. supernatural and legendary beings (~14,864)
         1. leprechauns (~1,007)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   John Mc Morrow

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   68

   Address

   Cullentragh, Co. Leitrim