I grew up with leprechauns! Yes, they were always around when I was a young lass. I heard many stories about them from my dear Daddy. He loved a nice drink and spent lots of time helping other people in the local pub. He told us many true stories about leprechauns running down the streams, men following them to find their dreams. Unfortunately they usually woke up in the morning with nothing like a bag of gold, just a bad headache! They would swear they saw the real thing, describing it (him/her) down to its long beard and snappy green outfit.

I had a brave mother, who went to see a concern given by a hypnotist! She wasn’t brave enough to go on stage, but was sorely tempted. After the show, she caught the bus home from Dublin, and there on the bus were people who had been hypnotized by the hypnotist! They were running through the bus, shoving their hands under people’s seats and long skirts, making loud exclamations, “There they are! It’s the leprechauns!” My mother had been mortified when someone was beside her seat on hands and knees, rummaging under her legs, shouting “He’s here, right here!” She was glad she had worn her clean knickers that night!

Of course, the lucky seekers of leprechauns had been given the perfect gift of being the only ones who could see these wonderful leprechauns! Mother came home very flushed in the face, wondering if she might have missed out on the proverbial pot of gold that night, and feeling a bit embarrased as well. It is not usual to have someone reaching under your legs in search of a leprechaun but I think she did enjoy it somehow! She almost went back to see the hypnotist again, as she dreamed about her own pot of gold, but refrained when the rent man called and all the money was gone because she had to pay for the hypnotist’s concert! She told us that those who were gifted by the hypnotist would see leprechauns for two days. I often wonder if they also found their hidden treasure as well? It might be worth the chance to visit the hypnotist and get to see the leprechauns one day. Maybe it would be easier to have a few pints of Guiness and wait by the stream? At least I might have a great yarn to tell the grandkids!

From my experience and leprechaun knowledge, I believe that leprechauns are creatures in our secret parts that come out when we are stimulated into believing in lucky days, lucky people and lucky things, especially if one is down on his/her luck! I hope you find your leprechaun one day, or at least the pot of hidden gold!