Leprechauns.Symbol of national pride or embarasment?

darkdubh

Why is it that leprechauns have such negative connotations in this country?Do they remind us of our pagan tribal past?Should we be more proud of them?They are a phenomenom unique to Ireland.

Laneyh

They would be fine if it was just considered part of our mythology /folklore but the cheesy American version of a leprechaun and grown adults dressing as same is a bit cringeworthy

darkdubh

Laneyh wrote: »

They would be fine if it was just considered part of our mythology /folklore but the cheesy American version of a leprechaun and grown adults dressing as same is a bit cringeworthy

Then maybe its time they were reclaimed properly from the stag party goers et all .

jimgoose

Little gnomes and faerie-folk are part of many Western traditions. Obviously our ones wear green, go "Faith and begorrah!" and generally carry on like Bryan Murray in The Irish RM. It doesn't really bother me. :pac:

Canis Lupus

darkdubh wrote: »

They are a phenomenom unique to Ireland.

Really? I thought lots of cultures pretty much have the same kinda fairy folk with different names.

I can see why people would be embarrassed of them as they are in many ways a caricature of Irish people and likewise I don't see them as being something you could be 'proud of'.

jester77

They are evil

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYg51_PFeHA

darkdubh

jester77 wrote: »

They are evil

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYg51_PFeHA

That is very inaccurate.Leprechauns might get up to harmless mischief but they would never kill people.

darkdubh

darkdubh wrote: »

That is very inaccurate.Leprechauns might get up to harmless mischief but they would never kill people.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

jimgoose

darkdubh wrote: »

That is very inaccurate.Leprechauns might get up to harmless mischief but they would never kill people.

Oh I dunno. You've seen O'Reilly in The Simpsons, haven't you? I wouldn't trust that fella as far as I'd throw an asses roar, bedad. :cool:

gramar

Leprechauns are alive and well. Here's one working as a chef in the US.
Seems they've had to emigrate during the downturn like everyone else.

diomed

They got a few mentions on the Discovery Gold Rush TV program. People abroad know they are fairytale characters, and a bit of fun.
Go Leprechauns!

conorhal

We've a rich cultural history, it's staggering how few people seem to be aware of it. If you ask a kid in primary school in Sweden who Beowulf is they'd tell you but I'd be surprised if may Irish school children could tell you who Cuchulain was. We seem to suffer a strange cultural amnesia and an eagerness to adopt or adapt our own view of ourselves based on how others percieve us. The whole Leprechauns thing is a prime example, the Swedes of Finn's notion of what a 'troll' is for example is shaped by their own rich mythology, here it would have long been shaped by a plastic doll.
Parents should share more of their own culture and stories with their kids and pass on those uniquely Irish myths and ledgends.

Lapin

Embarrassment. End of.

We should have exported them all to Liberia instead of Hollywood.

Mr. Incognito

Everyone needs something cheap and tacky to sell to the tourists.

Some countries have much more unsavoury things that they flog.

OU812

conorhal wrote: »

We've a rich cultural history, it's staggering how few people seem to be aware of it. If you ask a kid in primary school in Sweden who Beowulf is they'd tell you but I'd be surprised if may Irish school children could tell you who Cuchulain was. We seem to suffer a strange cultural amnesia and an eagerness to adopt or adapt our own view of ourselves based on how others percieve us. The whole Leprechauns thing is a prime example, the Swedes of Finn's notion of what a 'troll' is for example is shaped by their own rich mythology, here it would have long been shaped by a plastic doll.
Parents should share more of their own culture and stories with their kids and pass on those uniquely Irish myths and ledgends.

I've said this several times on here (& elsewhere). The Irish film board needs to hire a hollywood screenwriter who'd written a superhero movie, then do a joint venture with a proper big studio to get the film to the screen.

There's a missed opportunity with the Leprechaun movies also. They should be doing everything they can to get them made in Ireland.

Jellybaby1

We were told as kids that leprachauns were invented a couple of hundred years ago by Irish drunks falling home from the pub in remote country areas, so drunk they saw little people running around the hedges and ditches taunting them. Sounded plausible to us at a young age. Today the images of leprechauns on greetings cards and Oirish/American blogs and websites are extremely revolting.

Davidius

Our mythology could do with being better known and celebrated.

DavyD_83

I blame the old guy in the leprechaun costume by Molly Malone;
Ruining the image of leprechauns for decades.

Intifada

Do find it a bit cringe when Irish people play up to it, those tourist buses with PADDYWAGON and leprechauns emblazoned across them etc. There's nothing inherently embarrassing about them though, I tend to feel embarrassed for the people doing it rather than for myself or the country.

padma

they're grand. nothing cringeworthy about them at all. known all over the world as a mischievous little being. People still need to believe in a little magic before technology controls the way we think about life.

Laois6556

There's nothing embarrassing about Leprechauns and any of our ancient mythology. What's embarrassing is those who dress up in those hats and fake beards, this has nothing to do with Leprechauns or being Irish. Infact it's an English thing.

Miss Lizzie Jones

darkdubh wrote: »

Why is it that leprechauns have such negative connotations in this country?Do they remind us of our pagan tribal past?Should we be more proud of them?They are a phenomenom unique to Ireland.

You shouldn't talk about Michael D. Higgins like that. :P

Ralf and Florian

Laois6556 wrote: »

There's nothing embarrassing about Leprechauns and any of our ancient mythology. What's embarrassing is those who dress up in those hats and fake beards, this has nothing to do with Leprechauns or being Irish. Infact it's an English thing.

I was in a hotel in Cork a few years ago and this English guy in leprechaun outfit went up to the receptionist proud as punch and said to her "I bet you've never served a leprechaun before". The ejit really thought that he was the first English stag party goer to come over to Ireland and dress up in one of those shagging outfits.

mikom

You could be known for a lot worse, tbh.

Laois6556

Ralf and Florian wrote: »

I was in a hotel in Cork a few years ago and this English guy in leprechaun outfit went up to the receptionist proud as punch and said to her "I bet you've never served a leprechaun before". The ejit really thought that he was the first English stag party goer to come over to Ireland and dress up in one of those shagging outfits.

The Leprechaun that these people dress up as is similar to the brownie which is a part of English folklore. The Lúchorpáin was actually a snake. Irish people who dress up in the hat and beard are an embarrassment.

Czarcasm

conorhal wrote: »

Parents should share more of their own culture and stories with their kids and pass on those uniquely Irish myths and ledgends.

Y'know what, you have a point and all, I love all the Celtic mythology and the Irish folklore, I've told my son numerous stories and Irish songs, but it's the "Plastic Paddy" bullshìt we parade for the Americans that really annoys me.


Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

That sort of shìte could be done away with!

conorhal

Czarcasm wrote: »

Y'know what, you have a point and all, I love all the Celtic mythology and the Irish folklore, I've told my son numerous stories and Irish songs, but it's the "Plastic Paddy" bullshìt we parade for the Americans that really annoys me.


Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

That sort of shìte could be done away with!

Twee, yes. But two outstanding films none the less. I've a soft spot for Darby O' Gill and The Quiet Man is Steven Spielberg's favorite film, Huston's shooting style was a big influence on his own style. I've seen worse examples of paddywhackery to be honest.
Personally I've no problem with the paddywhackery, the problem I have is with the replacement of culture with 'branding' and other corporatist shoite that we seem so accepting of.

mister gullible

There's a missed opportunity with the Leprechaun movies also. They should be doing everything they can to get them made in Ireland.[/QUOTE]

Well I don't think they could be made anywhere else, you'll hardly find leprechauns outside of Ireland.

Laneyh

I've been to the leprechaun museum in Dublin and in fairness to them they actually put a bit of effort into it.

They talk about the legend of the leprechaun and provide information about other mythical creatures, folklore and mythology from Ireland.
They mention the tuath de dannon and cu chulainn.
They also show that the modern interpretation of a leprechaun is something that came from America and mostly stems from the filem Darby O'Gill.
Most of the stuff with leprechauns on in it like lucky charms etc. are American not Irish.

Of course much of this information falls on deaf ears as they also have a room with giant furniture and everyone just wants a photo op on there.

Selling souvenirs with leprechauns on it or books, cartoons or even films about leprechauns are fine.
Even maybe the hats and that are ok but when people full on dress up as one outside of Halloween it is kind of sad.
Like on Paddy's day when some people think the epitome of expressing pride in Irish heritage / culture is dressing as a leprechaun and drinking a Guinness. I'm not annoyed by it I just think it's sad.

I was in Oslo over the weekend and the tourist shops there were all selling trolls.
I looked it up and the legend of the trolls comes from Norse mythology.
It's interesting , the souvenirs are cute and there's no harm in it.
However, I'm not aware of Norwegians dressing up as trolls to express their identity.

gw80

conorhal wrote: »

We've a rich cultural history, it's staggering how few people seem to be aware of it. If you ask a kid in primary school in Sweden who Beowulf is they'd tell you but I'd be surprised if may Irish school children could tell you who Cuchulain was. We seem to suffer a strange cultural amnesia and an eagerness to adopt or adapt our own view of ourselves based on how others percieve us. The whole Leprechauns thing is a prime example, the Swedes of Finn's notion of what a 'troll' is for example is shaped by their own rich mythology, here it would have long been shaped by a plastic doll.
Parents should share more of their own culture and stories with their kids and pass on those uniquely Irish myths and ledgends.

I suspect christianity suppressed a lot of it.

whisky_galore

Czarcasm wrote: »

Y'know what, you have a point and all, I love all the Celtic mythology and the Irish folklore, I've told my son numerous stories and Irish songs, but it's the "Plastic Paddy" bullshìt we parade for the Americans that really annoys me.


Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

That sort of shìte could be done away with!

Neither of the above were intended as serious documentaries of either folklore or Irish life; one is intended for children and the other is a comedy-drama.
We do have some kick ass legends and folklore, some of which are pretty well X-rated and definitely not recommended for children!

gw80

OU812 wrote: »

I've said this several times on here (& elsewhere). The Irish film board needs to hire a hollywood screenwriter who'd written a superhero movie, then do a joint venture with a proper big studio to get the film to the screen.

There's a missed opportunity with the Leprechaun movies also. They should be doing everything they can to get them made in Ireland.

I vaguely remember some talk about a big hollywood film being made about cuchullan a few years back, Henry shefflin to train some of the actors in hurling, could have been BS.

OU812

mister gullible wrote: »

Well I don't think they could be made anywhere else, you'll hardly find leprechauns outside of Ireland.

They're set in the US (haven't seen them all)

fryup

those of us of a certain vintage will surely remember this....and cringe:o

thanks donie cassidy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUuDgQeUhuQ

thebostoncrab

Well as someone who has worked in The National Leprechaun Museum for over 2 years I'm slighted biased


Honestly the original myths and legends are excellent and well worth researching. In the museum we do our best in the very 10 minutes to dispel the Darby O Gill style image and instead focus on the original stories taken from an 8 century text. There is nothing to be embarrassed about, in fact it makes me smile how many visitors from the states know about Irish folklore who tell me the leprechaun was the first character to introduce them to this massive and rich part of our culture.

Dirty Dingus McGee

conorhal wrote: »

Twee, yes. But two outstanding films none the less. I've a soft spot for Darby O' Gill and The Quiet Man is Steven Spielberg's favorite film, Huston's shooting style was a big influence on his own style. I've seen worse examples of paddywhackery to be honest.
Personally I've no problem with the paddywhackery, the problem I have is with the replacement of culture with 'branding' and other corporatist shoite that we seem so accepting of.

The Quiet Man was directed by John Ford.

Dirty Dingus McGee

I've always thought the Táin Bó Cúailnge would make a great film.I remember being told the story in primary school and I thought it was great.

It's a real pity that Leprachauns are now extinct.