LeprechaunA modern stereotypical depiction of a Leprechaun of the type popularised in the 20th Century.In Irish mythology, a leprechaun (Modern Irish: leipreachán) is a type of male elf said to inhabit the island of Ireland. They are a class of "faerie folk" associated in Irish mythology and folklore, as with all faeries, with the Tuatha Dé Danann and other quasi-historical races said to have inhabited Ireland before the arrival of the Celts. Leprechauns and other creatures of Irish mythology are often associated with "faerie forts" or "faerie rings" — often the sites of ancient (Celtic or pre-Celtic) earthworks or drumlins. They usually take the form of an old man and enjoy partaking in mischief. Their trade is that of a cobbler or shoemaker and they are often described as being seen working on a single shoe. They are said to be very rich, having many treasure crocks buried during war-time. [1] While anyone keeps his eye fixed upon them, they cannot escape, but the moment the eye is withdrawn they vanish. EtymologyThere are a number of possible etymologies of the name "leprechaun". One of the most widely accepted theories is that the name comes from the Irish Gaelic word leipreachán, defined by Dinneen as "a pigmy, a sprite, a leprechaun; for luchorpán"; the latter word Dinneen defines as "a pigmy, a leprechaun; 'a kind of aqueous sprite'";[2] this word has also been identified as meaning "half-bodied", or "small-bodied". This is the etymology given in the Collins English Dictionary.[3] An alternative derivation for the name, and the one quoted by the Oxford English Dictionary, is leath bhrógan, meaning shoe-maker — the leprechaun is known as the fairy shoemaker of Ireland and is often portrayed working on a single shoe.[4] A leprechaun counts his gold, in this engraving circa 1900.Another derivation has the word "leprechaun" deriving from luch-chromain, meaning "little stooping Lugh", Lugh being the name of a leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann.[5] The word leprechaun was first recorded used in the English language in 1604 in Middleton and Dekker's The Honest Whore as lubrican. The original meaning was of some kind of spirit and not specifically associated with the Irish mythological character:[6] Some alternative spellings of the word leprechaun that have been used throughout the ages are; leprechawn, lepracaun and lubberkin. MythologyLeprechauns rarely appear in what would be classed as a folk tale, in almost all cases the interest of these stories centres round a human hero. Stories about leprechauns are generally very brief and generally have local names and scenery attached to them. The tales are usually told conversationally as any other occurrence might be told, whereas there is a certain solemnity about the repetition of a folk-tale proper. In most tales and stories leprechauns are depicted as genuinely harmless creatures who enjoy solitude and live in remote locations, although opinion is divided as to if they ever enjoy the company of other spirits. Their pastime is in the making of shoes for other faerie folk such as themselves. Although rarely seen in social situations, leprechauns are supposedly very well spoken and, if ever spoken to, could make good conversation. A leprechaun is shown crafting shoes in this Engraving made in 1858. In previous years leprechauns had a less homogenised appearance.Among the most popular of beliefs about leprechauns is that they are extremely wealthy and like to hide their gold in secret locations, which can only be revealed if a person were to actually capture and interrogate a leprechaun for its money. By nature, leprechauns are said to be ill-natured and mischievous, with a mind for cunning. Many tales present the leprechaun as outwitting a human, as in the following example: A farmer or young lad captures a leprechaun and forces him to reveal the location of his buried treasure. The leprechaun assures him that the treasure is buried in an open field beneath a particular ragwort plant. The farmer ties a red ribbon to the plant, first extracting a promise from the leprechaun not to remove the ribbon. Releasing the leprechaun, he leaves to get a shovel. Upon his return he finds that every weed in the field has been tied with an identical red ribbon, thus making it impossible to find the treasure.[8] [9] In another story, a young girl finds a leprechaun and bids him show her the location of his buried money. She takes him up in her hand and sets out to find the treasure, but all of a sudden she hears a louds buzzing behind her. the leprechaun shouts at her that she is being chased by a swarm of bees, but when she looks around there are no bees and the leprechaun is vanished. [10] In other stories they are told of riding shepherds' dogs through the night, leaving the dogs exhausted and dirty in the morning. AppearanceThe leprechaun originally had a different appearance depending on where in Ireland he was found.[11] Prior to the 20th century, it was generally agreed that the leprechaun wore red and not green. Samuel Lover, writing in the 1831 describes the leprechaun as, Yeats, in his 1888 book entitled Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry describes the leprechaun as follows: In a poem entitled The Lepracaun; or, Fairy Shoemaker, the 18th century Irish poet William Allingham describes the appearance of the leprechaun as: A cluricaun with a jug of wine. The cluricaun is often confused with the leprechaun.Some commentators accuse Allingham of leaving the legacy of the modern image of the leprechaun described below. [15] The modern image of the leprechaun is almost invariant: he is depicted wearing an emerald green frock coat, and bestowed with the knowledge of the location of buried treasure, often in a crock of gold. Related creaturesThe leprechaun is related to the cluricaun and the far darrig in that he is a solitary creature. Some writers even go as far as to substitute these second two less well-known spirits for the leprechaun in stories or tales to reach a wider audience. The cluricaun is considered by some to be merely a leprechaun on a spree [16]. In politicsIn the politics of the Republic of Ireland, leprechauns have been used to refer to the twee aspects of the tourist industry in Ireland [17] [18]. This can be seen from this example of John A. Costello addressing the Oireachtas in 1963: Leprechauns have also been used in jokes regarding fiscal irresponsibility, the idea being that the politician or political party being attacked has found a pot of gold, or is going to ask a leprechaun for the location of such a pot, accommodating their spending. The term leprechaun language, used by some Unionists in Northern Ireland, is a pejorative for the Irish language. Popular cultureMovies, television cartoons and advertising have popularized a specific image of leprechauns which bears scant resemblance to anything found in the cycles of Irish mythology. Many Irish people find the popularised image of a leprechaun to be little more than a series of offensive Irish stereotypes and a trivialisation of Ireland's rich and ancient culture. The stereotypical image of a leprechaun bedecked in green is particularly strong in the United States, where it is widely used for a variety of purposes, both commercial and non-commercial. Films / TV:
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The stereotypical image of a leprechaun bedecked in green is particularly strong in the United States, where it is widely used for a variety of purposes, both commercial and non-commercial. http://www.biodiversitypartners.org/state/fl/snakehead.shtml. Many Irish people find the popularised image of a leprechaun to be little more than a series of offensive Irish stereotypes and a trivialisation of Ireland's rich and ancient culture. Like the herbicides, Rotenone will be sprayed on and into the water from boats. Movies, television cartoons and advertising have popularized a specific image of leprechauns which bears scant resemblance to anything found in the cycles of Irish mythology. Dead fish are removed daily; however, unpleasant odors from decaying organic material are to be expected. The term leprechaun language, used by some Unionists in Northern Ireland, is a pejorative for the Irish language. Approximately one to two weeks after the application of the herbicides, application of the piscicide Rotenone eliminates remaining fish. Leprechauns have also been used in jokes regarding fiscal irresponsibility, the idea being that the politician or political party being attacked has found a pot of gold, or is going to ask a leprechaun for the location of such a pot, accommodating their spending. The herbicides are sprayed on and into the water from boats. Costello addressing the Oireachtas in 1963:. These chemicals cause oxygen levels to drop, and a subsequent fish kill occurs. This can be seen from this example of John A. When the process begins, officials will apply the herbicides diquat dibromide and glyphosate (tradenames such as Roundup, Rodeo) to the pond to eliminate aquatic vegetation. In the politics of the Republic of Ireland, leprechauns have been used to refer to the twee aspects of the tourist industry in Ireland [17] [18]. They have also been spotted in Washington, California, Texas, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. The cluricaun is considered by some to be merely a leprechaun on a spree [16]. In July 2005 a snakehead was spotted in the waters of Flushing Meadows Park in Queens, New York City. Some writers even go as far as to substitute these second two less well-known spirits for the leprechaun in stories or tales to reach a wider audience. On October 9, 2004 a fisherman caught one in Lake Michigan at Burnham Harbor in Chicago, Illinois. The leprechaun is related to the cluricaun and the far darrig in that he is a solitary creature. Courtenay. The modern image of the leprechaun is almost invariant: he is depicted wearing an emerald green frock coat, and bestowed with the knowledge of the location of buried treasure, often in a crock of gold. W. [15]. A comprehensive work on the dangers of the introduction of snakeheads to non-indigeneous waters is the work of Prof. Some commentators accuse Allingham of leaving the legacy of the modern image of the leprechaun described below. Some examples of the introduction of snakeheads to non-indigeneous waters include:. In a poem entitled The Lepracaun; or, Fairy Shoemaker, the 18th century Irish poet William Allingham describes the appearance of the leprechaun as:. Due to this fact it was introduced either on purpose (fisheries motivation) or by ignorance (as was the case in Crofton). Yeats, in his 1888 book entitled Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry describes the leprechaun as follows:. In parts of Asia and Africa, the snakehead is considered a valuable food fish and is produced in aquacultures. Samuel Lover, writing in the 1831 describes the leprechaun as,. Humans have been introducing snakeheads to non-indigenous waters for over 100 years. The leprechaun originally had a different appearance depending on where in Ireland he was found.[11] Prior to the 20th century, it was generally agreed that the leprechaun wore red and not green. They are prohibited in several other countries like Australia because their introduction to new ecosystems may displace indigenous species. In other stories they are told of riding shepherds' dogs through the night, leaving the dogs exhausted and dirty in the morning. Snakehead fish became infamous in the US because of their appearance in a pond in Crofton, Maryland (2002). [10]. Snakeheads prompting fears that it could become an invasive species and cause ecological damage. the leprechaun shouts at her that she is being chased by a swarm of bees, but when she looks around there are no bees and the leprechaun is vanished. . She takes him up in her hand and sets out to find the treasure, but all of a sudden she hears a louds buzzing behind her. Snakeheads are also sold as pets. In another story, a young girl finds a leprechaun and bids him show her the location of his buried money. Only two species (Channa marulius and Channa micropeltes) can reach a length of more than 1 meter and a weight of more than 6 kilograms. Upon his return he finds that every weed in the field has been tied with an identical red ribbon, thus making it impossible to find the treasure.[8] [9]. Most snakeheads grow up to 2 or 3 ft. Releasing the leprechaun, he leaves to get a shovel. So-called dwarf snakeheads like Channa gachua grow to 10 inch maximum. The farmer ties a red ribbon to the plant, first extracting a promise from the leprechaun not to remove the ribbon. The size of the snakehead species differs greatly. The leprechaun assures him that the treasure is buried in an open field beneath a particular ragwort plant. In rare cases, small mammals such as rats are taken. A farmer or young lad captures a leprechaun and forces him to reveal the location of his buried treasure. When an adult, it mostly feeds on other fish or frogs. Many tales present the leprechaun as outwitting a human, as in the following example:. The snakehead feeds on plankton, aquatic insects, and mollusks when small. By nature, leprechauns are said to be ill-natured and mischievous, with a mind for cunning. Larger species like Channa striata, Channa maculata or Parachanna obscura are breed in aqua cultures. Among the most popular of beliefs about leprechauns is that they are extremely wealthy and like to hide their gold in secret locations, which can only be revealed if a person were to actually capture and interrogate a leprechaun for its money. In both continents, they are considered a valuable food fish. Although rarely seen in social situations, leprechauns are supposedly very well spoken and, if ever spoken to, could make good conversation. It does so with its suprabranchial organ which is a primitive form of a labyrinth organ. Their pastime is in the making of shoes for other faerie folk such as themselves. One of its main features is its physiological necessity to breath atmospheric air. In most tales and stories leprechauns are depicted as genuinely harmless creatures who enjoy solitude and live in remote locations, although opinion is divided as to if they ever enjoy the company of other spirits. The predatory fish is distinguished by a long dorsal fin, small head with large head scales on top, large mouth and teeth. The tales are usually told conversationally as any other occurrence might be told, whereas there is a certain solemnity about the repetition of a folk-tale proper. A family with two genera (Asia: Channa, Africa: Parachanna) which consists of 30 scientific valid species of freshwater fish. Stories about leprechauns are generally very brief and generally have local names and scenery attached to them. Student writes article on Snakehead problem in Florida. Leprechauns rarely appear in what would be classed as a folk tale, in almost all cases the interest of these stories centres round a human hero. ITIS entry. Some alternative spellings of the word leprechaun that have been used throughout the ages are; leprechawn, lepracaun and lubberkin. Overview of Northern Snakehead biology. The original meaning was of some kind of spirit and not specifically associated with the Irish mythological character:[6]. snakeheads.org world's largest website for snakeheads. The word leprechaun was first recorded used in the English language in 1604 in Middleton and Dekker's The Honest Whore as lubrican. Its introduction to Czechoslovakia by the government in the 1960s failed due to cold winters. Another derivation has the word "leprechaun" deriving from luch-chromain, meaning "little stooping Lugh", Lugh being the name of a leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann.[5]. It was introduced to Japan about 100 years ago due to fisheries motivations. An alternative derivation for the name, and the one quoted by the Oxford English Dictionary, is leath bhrógan, meaning shoe-maker — the leprechaun is known as the fairy shoemaker of Ireland and is often portrayed working on a single shoe.[4]. Channa argus, which is native to northern China (Amur River), was introduced to Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan). This is the etymology given in the Collins English Dictionary.[3]. In this case the origin and reason of the introduction is unknown, but most probably due to human intervention. One of the most widely accepted theories is that the name comes from the Irish Gaelic word leipreachán, defined by Dinneen as "a pigmy, a sprite, a leprechaun; for luchorpán"; the latter word Dinneen defines as "a pigmy, a leprechaun; 'a kind of aqueous sprite'";[2] this word has also been identified as meaning "half-bodied", or "small-bodied". Channa asiatica, which is native to southern China, was introduced to Taiwan and to southern Japan. There are a number of possible etymologies of the name "leprechaun". In Fiji, the introduction failed. . Channa striata was introduced to islands east of the Wallace line by governmental programs in the later half of the 20th century. [1] While anyone keeps his eye fixed upon them, they cannot escape, but the moment the eye is withdrawn they vanish. It can still be found there today. They are said to be very rich, having many treasure crocks buried during war-time. Channa maculata was introduced to Madagascar and to Hawaii around the end of the 19th century. Their trade is that of a cobbler or shoemaker and they are often described as being seen working on a single shoe. They usually take the form of an old man and enjoy partaking in mischief. Leprechauns and other creatures of Irish mythology are often associated with "faerie forts" or "faerie rings" — often the sites of ancient (Celtic or pre-Celtic) earthworks or drumlins. They are a class of "faerie folk" associated in Irish mythology and folklore, as with all faeries, with the Tuatha Dé Danann and other quasi-historical races said to have inhabited Ireland before the arrival of the Celts. In Irish mythology, a leprechaun (Modern Irish: leipreachán) is a type of male elf said to inhabit the island of Ireland. a familiar which increases the amount of meat recieved from killing an enemy in the online game Kingdom of Loathing. former Deep Purple guitarist Richie Blackmore often dresses up as a leprechaun for promotional photo shots and when playing live. Lucky Charms breakfast cereal. the Wagga Brothers emblem. the Boston Celtics logo. the mascot of the University of Notre Dame. Alosha Trilogy, by Christopher Pike. The books of Herminie Templeton Kavanagh, on which Darby O'Gill and the Little People was based. Rowling. K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer. Spellbreaker: Secret of The Leprechauns. Leapin' Leprechauns. The Luck of the Irish (Disney Channel Original Movies). Kabouter Plop (Plop the Leprechaun). Treehouse of Horror XII, an episode of The Simpsons. Finian's Rainbow. Darby O'Gill and the Little People. Leprechaun. |