The closest most of us will get to a leprechaun is a box of frosted Lucky Charms and although the cereal is “magically delicious”, I’d much rather have the pot of gold leprechauns are said to possess.
It’s said that if you catch a leprechaun, their treasure is yours. Perhaps a book or two could offer some insight on how to capture one of the elusive sprites. Thanks to About.com for their list of the Top 5 Leprechaun books:
- Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins: An Encyclopedia by Carol Rose
Fabulously entertaining, and featuring more than 100 delightful illustrations, this encyclopedic work contains over 2,000 alphabetically arranged entries covering angels, demons, elves, fairies, nats, nymphs, and other strange beings from around the world. - The Leprechaun Companion by Niall Macnamara
Leprechauns feature in many Irish folk tales and legends. Their short temper and stature, wizened features and renowned skill as shoemakers and tinkers have fascinated people for centuries. This book offers a guide to the secret world of the leprechaun. - The Leprechaun Book by Mary Feehan (Editor)
Merry stories, poems, and legends about the wee man who revels in his role as prankster and keeper of the fairies’ treasured pot o’ gold. Full of leprechaun lore, such as how to catch a leprechaun, how the leprechaun got his curious looks, more. - Inspirations from Ireland: Hounds and Leprechauns, Faeries and Banshees by J. Craig Bell
Inspirations from Ireland: Hounds and Leprechauns, Faeries and Banshees was born out of a desire within me to leave a positive legacy. Hence, this set of daily readings came to fruition after long years of feeling a sense of motivation every time I visited Ireland. It is a series of vignettes, some serious and spiritual, others light-hearted and whimsical. There are enough and more for one per day each month. The entries were generated
from weeks spent soaking up the culture and the warmth of the people of Ireland over a period of thirty-five years. They cover all areas in Eire and Northern Ireland, from wild northern Donegal to the ethereal southern coast, from the tiniest villages to throbbing Dublin and Belfast. The four images in the subtitle lend a hint that the spiritual takes precedence in the readings. The content of the entries can be enjoyed by anyone of any background, despite the fact that my Christian faith shines out throughout. - The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries: The Classic Study of Luminous Reality by Walter Evans-Wentz
Evans-Wentz presents an accurate record of ancestral Celtic devotion about the apparent reality of leprechauns, pixies, elves, fairies and other nature spirits. Not only is this a formal and scholarly study but an educated report of how beliefs became the standards of ancient Pagan magic. We come away with the conclusion that fairies and other such manifestations may be the inhabitants of a more advanced existence that only a few of us can understand. This account combines medieval myths, traditional fairy knowledge, and early Paganism with folk-lore, history, anthropology and psychology to become a narrative which appears too consistent to be the result of an insane distraction. This magnificent book is a very readable collection of anecdotes, interviews, and legends made available to Evans-Wentz who has fashioned them into an essential reference for generations to come.
Eager to catch even a glimpse of a leprechaun? Check out The Leprechaun Watch, a webcam feed from a field in Tipperary, Ireland.
