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Leprechauns are now protected under new European law - SEE VIDEOS

Annual leprechaun hunt in Louth now a major tourist attraction

BERNIE MALONE,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Friday, March 11, 2011, 7:22 AM

Updated Friday, March 11, 2011, 11:37 AM

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Street sign near the home of leprechauns in County Louth

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Read more: The truth about fairies and leprechauns just in time for St. Patrick's Day

Leprechauns, or little people, and their heritage have been protected on a European directive thanks to a group of lobbyists in Carlingford, Co. Louth.

The leprechaun site and local economy has benefited greatly from the connection with Ireland’s mythical little creature

The directive is an effort to preserve the rich bio-diversity of the area called "The Sliabh Foy Loop,” now a protected area for flora, fauna, wild animals and leprechauns.

“It is a long, detailed procedure and it has taken nearly eight years to secure the future of our heritage, culture and folklore. We are delighted in the knowledge that our little people will be protected from extinction and allowed to thrive on the mountains,” said local man Kevin Woods.

The group of locals who lobbied for this protection directive, and also organize the annual Leprechaun Hunt in the area, said the directive was put through in spite of objections from the Black-Faced Mountain Sheep Breeders Association. Their site says, “The EU have opted in favor of the rich bio-diversity of the Cooley Mountains, and this area is now protected under the European Habitats Directive."

Woods, a local man and one of the original members of the group, explains in the video below that there are only 236 leprechauns still living in Ireland on the Foy mountain at Slate Rock. He believes that this place is of the spirit world.

The story goes that in 1989 P.J. O'Hare, a local businessman and publican, was up on Carlingford mountain when he heard a scream coming from the area beside the Wishing Well.

Being curious, he went to investigate and found a patch of burnt ground. Beside this patch he found a little hat, jacket and trousers with four gold coins in the pockets. The whereabouts of these four coins is only known to one other person, but he maintains he can't give away the secret. The clothes of "The Naked Leprechaun" are on display at PJs Pub in Carlingford.

The discovery of this suit led to the establishment of the Carlingford National Leprechaun Hunt when hundreds of people descend on Carlingford in search of "The Naked Leprechaun.”

As well as being a protected area for leprechauns, it is also a beautiful tourist spot which is being protected for its natural beauty. Frances Taylor, Cooley Peninsula tourism officer said, “This is another significant recognition from Europe in regards to our heritage and tourism product and the way in which it is responsibly managed.

“While we are delighted with the increase in visitors that are discovering this area as one of Ireland’s most beautiful hidden gems, we are committed to sustainable and responsible tourism. We believe it is vitally important to be sensitive to the environment and all inhabitants within the destination.”

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16 Comments

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TheNDleprechaun | Aug 04, 2011, 10:42 AM EDT

I'm currently looking for a direct flight from Notre Dame to Carlingford... time to go home!

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ladyjane | Mar 12, 2011, 05:05 PM EST

I believe, I believe. Beautiful area, but never saw a leprechaun. Must go back again.

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geoIIIIV | Mar 12, 2011, 10:38 AM EST

God love the Irish.

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jacersagain | Mar 12, 2011, 09:05 AM EST

(...more) "Aon focal dá, fucit tú, fucal ella”... An’ I not knowing no fucal a’tall... She'd go "Ayne fucal dawr, fucal two, focal eile”... An’ I not knowin’ no focal a’tall! >> She taught us about the history, the Battle of the Boyne... And how to play a game with the chestnut and the twine...She’d say... *you must speak this bit* - “Open up your catechisms, learn all that information.. If you don't get it in your big thick head, you won't get your Conformation”... >> "Ayne fucal dawr, fucal too, fucal ella” .. An’ I not knowing no fucal a’tall! .. She'd go "Ayne fucal dawr, fucal two, fucal ella”... An’ I not knowing no focal at all! >> Well, the days we spent going to school, were the best years of our life.. Tho' at the time we thought they were full of trouble and strife... Now when I'm home on holiday, I'd pass the old school gate... I think of the time I spent in there, them times were surely great!” >>> (Sheeeeeee'd go ....) "Ayne fucal dá, fucit too, fucal ella” .. An’ I not knowing no fucal a’tall... She'd go.. "Aon focal dá, fucal two, focal eile”... An’ I not knowing no focal a’ taaaaaawll!” ....... PS - Google ‘Aon focal eile’ by me pal Richie on “utubs” (sorry about de mis-pelling, use ‘e’ instead of ‘s’) for proper music, beat, presentayshun and danceable craic.

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jacersagain | Mar 12, 2011, 09:00 AM EST

(Hafta split this a bit ... Words of great songs are too much for ICentral’s eejit computer to absorb...) The whole shebang song is dis.... “When I was just a lad I used to go to school...I'd sit down there in the seat, feeling like a fool... The teacher taught us everything, everything we know... She had a great big lump of a stick that was bent into a bow! .. CHORUS >> (She'd go)... "Ayne fucal dawr, focal too, fucal ella”.. An’ I not knowing no fucal at all!... She'd go "Ayne fucal dawr, fucal two, focal eile”... An’ I not knowin’ no focal atall >> She taught us how to say all our A.B.C. (hey!) .. She showed us how to make little men out of plastaseen... She taught us how to say our prayers (whey!), she taught us right from wrong (Yee-hah!) ..The only thing about it, we didn't go to school too long - *(‘cos.... sheeeee’d gohhhhh...) (More...)

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jacersagain | Mar 12, 2011, 08:16 AM EST

(...more from below)Now ÉISTAIGHÍ areesh!-You must practice this song for yr parades, pubs, 5th Avenue between 80th and 81st streets, all of Hoboken streets and in Sean’ Hai on St. Patrick’s Day... Me oul’ pal, Rich E. Kavana yoosta give the hole shebang song like dis... (Oh, yes there’s more... much more...! for yr delight)

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jacersagain | Mar 12, 2011, 08:13 AM EST

Pronumpsiations in Irish are very easy to learn, really. Shure ta be shure, sometimes it’s better to teach languages in song, so here goes for ‘accentuated’ letters and pronunciations in the Irish language... Ah be shayshures!Does anyone listen dese days??? Listen up a’wrongana... listen up areesh!! (Shure dey don’t post posts anymoor like dey yoos too... A’shure let’s try again...) Éist!! ... ÉISTAIGHÍ - all together now.... Arís, areesh...! #Ah-hayne fucal may, a hayne fucal too, a h-aon focal ella, knee beg a fucal a’tall a’m...” Ok? Ok now? Got it? Areesh, now a bookalee agus a colleenee, le kayla - a kardje guh’ lair... on will aon focal eile a’give? ... It’s very easy really... In English you’d say as our Irish teacher would say... She'd go an’ teach us "Aon fucal dawr, fucal two, fucal eile, An’ I not knowing no focal at all” (More...)

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sirpeter | Mar 12, 2011, 08:11 AM EST

antoman..I remember that story in school years ago..lol

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jacersagain | Mar 11, 2011, 08:39 PM EST

Correction - instead of "use the letters as you need to"...I meant to say, "then re-open up and use that .doc to cut any of the accentuated letters from and paste into yr posts..."

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jacersagain | Mar 11, 2011, 08:26 PM EST

Irish fada letters>>> Caps - Á É Í Ó Ú >>> Small - á é í ó ú >>> Cut and paste them into a Word.doc, save them on yr 'puter as, say, called "Irish fadas.doc" and you can cut and paste anytime you need in posts on ICentral. :-)

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jacersagain | Mar 11, 2011, 08:22 PM EST

BTW - for those who want to use Irish fadas (accentuated letters), here's what to do... all free, courtesy of jacers for yr St. Patk's Day posts... Ready? What to do is open up MS Word, cut and paste the following vowel letters at the end of this into it, save it as a Word doc, call it "Irish Fadas.doc" on yr 'puter - then use the letters as you need to. >>>> á é í ó ú - and for CAPs - Á É Í Ó Ú

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jacersagain | Mar 11, 2011, 08:13 PM EST

No no no - Níl aon, not one, leprechán left in Ireland. On Dublin's Howth head one showery evening, me and two Irish-Americans watched a perfectly formed arched rainbow fall into the see just below us, all the way down the Irish coast from Carlingford. It was huge and beautiful but there was no crock of gold, no leprechán at the end of it. Ochón ó!

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hunter933 | Mar 11, 2011, 12:02 PM EST

Too bad. Ii used to love Leprechaun meat grilled.

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curranart | Mar 11, 2011, 10:16 AM EST

Theres thousand of the wee fellas in this country, who ever said theres only 236 of them is talking through his ass. The fairy Glen in Newry is packed with them manys a time I delt with them buying from them some of the tiny furniture they make, If anyone dosent believe me they can call at the house anyday and have a look at some of the bits i bought. Manys a day I was out painting pictures and saw loadsa them in the fields.Type into Google "The lament of the leprechauns" and you will see a few there.

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curranart | Mar 11, 2011, 10:08 AM EST

the curran Leprechauns can be found at gallery 3 curransart.com, look to the trees above the famine victims

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