We went over to Kerry the other day for some retail therapy and took these pictures.
Puppets playing along to same Irish Trad music. Notice the hole in the Leprechaun picture to put your head through. I have never seen a real Leprechaun in Ireland, have you?
The late author Pete McCarthy writes in his wonderfully funny book: McCarthy's Bar that he use to go looking for looking Leprechauns with butterfly nets on sticks at his grandmothers farm in Drimoleague, which is only a few miles up the road from where I live.
I remember once asking my grandmother how do I catch a rabbit in the fields behind the farmhouse. She told me to get some salt and sprinkle it on its tail. A few hours later she wasn't very happy when there was no salt.
Not seen a Leprechaun !
ReplyDeleteWhat sort of fellow are you indeed, why there is a whole host of them who live near us and we hear them regularly and see a few occasionally too.
I believe you Heron. I think folklore is wonderful. I have seen a whale in Bantry Bay and the odd ghost and we even drove through a rainbow a few weeks a go. But we never found any Leprechaun pots of gold. I bet you have never seen a lady Leprechaun? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh' yes I have and though I would not call her a 'Lady', she was certainly a very humorous young woman when I last spoke with her.
DeleteI think this thing about the pots of gold might just be a Hollywood creation.
I thought there must be Leprechaunesses Heron. I agree there isn't much gold in Ireland. The Leprechauns must help the Irish economy attracting the tourists every year.
DeleteCon Houlihan must've been a real character. Great tribute.
ReplyDeleteIt is a wonderful tribute Gwil. I am going to read his essays collection and other writing. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI spent ages looking at the puppets, thinking about the work it must take to get them set up every day, and about having to watch the weather forecast because it rains a lot in Ireland and the owners would not like them to get wet, and then I saw the open violin case on the ground in front of them which is presumably for donations, and then I wondered if there were people inside the puppets or whether they are mechanically driven, such thoughts drifted through my head as I was having tea and toast in front of the computer this morning!
ReplyDeleteHi Vera. The puppets put smiles on a lot of peoples faces. It does rain a lot in Ireland but its a very mild climate with it being on the Gulf Stream. Have you never done any busking with your folk group in France? Thanks!
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