First, let me tell you
what a leprechaun is:
Leprechauns are
shoemakers and, according to the tales, tricky beings that, when they meet a
human, they grant him or her three wishes. They are rumored to enjoy whiskey
maybe a little too much. Physically, leprechauns are small ginger men (sorry,
no female leprechauns) all dressed in green with funny shoes and a funny hat. They
might be holding a pipe in one hand and a pot of gold in the other. If they’re
not holding the pot, then they probably have hidden it at the end of a rainbow…
sounds familiar yet?
Now, when we think of
Ireland, most of us think of shamrocks, beer, the color green and/or leprechauns.
Well… sorry, but did you know Leprechauns are not THAT important in Ireland?
People outside Ireland usually
perceive this figures as they are this big
important and popular part of the Irish folklore. Yes, they are amazingly
popular overseas, but not in the country itself. Lots of native Irish don’t recognize
them this way. They don’t deny leprechauns as part of their folklore, but they are
only seen as minor characters in tales.
To be honest, I’m still
not quite sure why; maybe it is the easier way to create a stereotype of
Irishmen, maybe it’s because of immigration, since Saint Patrick’s day became so
popular all around the world it may have expanded the leprechaun figure,
therefore that’s pretty much the only idealization we have of Ireland. That’s
my theory, what do you think?
