Since we are in the month of all things Irish, I have a
question for you.
Do you believe leprechauns and fairies really exist?
I was brought up in a home where their existence
was an accepted truth. From my earliest years, holidays spent in Ireland
included long walks in nature, and invariably a leprechaun sighting, or a gift
left by a leprechaun for us. Usually it was a feather, a special stick or stone, but sometimes it was the sighting of a rare bird or a double rainbow.
I’ve collected leprechaun stories from a wide variety of
people. Some end with a blessing, others with a curse. Local friends took
us to hidden fairy forts, stone circles, and ancient forests with shifting
dimensional energies where the Sidhe (fairy folk) come and go to the
Otherworld.
Who are these magical beings?
Long ago the island known as Ireland was ruled by a race of
magical beings said to have arrived in a flying ship from cities to the north.
They were the Tuatha de Danann, the tribe of the goddess Danu. They commanded
supernatural powers, respected nature, and ruled in peace and harmony for a
long time. Christian monks later wrote of them as kings and queens, but they
were considered gods and goddesses by their people. When they were finally
overpowered by invaders, they shape-shifted into the fairy folk, or Sidhe, and went to live underground. In fact, they accessed inter-dimensional portals into
the Otherworld. They still live there today, and enjoy surprising humans from
time to time.
Do you have a leprechaun story to share?
I wrote To Kiss A Leprechaun as a tribute to these shining
ones, and the magic and myth that makes Ireland such a special place.
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To Kiss A Leprechaun
Lorcan, Prince of the Leprechauns, has been cursed by an ugly spell for centuries. Every year around St. Patrick’s Day he chooses a village girl to kiss. It brings prosperity and well being to the seaside village of Glen Kisswich. This year Aine Byrne is the lucky lady – not! She doesn’t want to kiss a guy who’s uglier than a toad, prince or not. Besides, she’s got a crush on another guy. What’s a girl to do?
Only the kiss of Lorcan’s soul mate can lift the curse. What are the chances he’ll find his true love with a bloodline that blends human, fairy and mermaid? To make matters worse, somebody is determined to stop The Kiss from happening.
Loved the post, Gemma. Can't wait to read your book about a fun topic, just in time for St. Patrick's Day.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Great post, Gemma. It makes me wonder who' living in my backyard. :) Best luck!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Gemma. Do you know these stories are being told a bit differently today. Some people alien ships were actually on earth a long time before UFO's were sighted. Smile! Who knows, the stories endure.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post, Gemma. Your story sounds marvelous. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Sandy, Glad you enjoyed the post. I'm having fun with the Irish theme this year. The book is fun, I hope you enjoy it. :) Thank you!
ReplyDeleteRose, your back yard sounds very interesting!
ReplyDeleteI've heard a bit about that too, Sandy. There's speculation in some quarters that the Tuatha de Danann were an alien race that arrived in Ireland on space ships. Anything's possible, right?! I love the mystery of it all.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading my post, Tina. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks to everyone who visits today and reads my blog post. I'll be traveling this afternoon and may not be able to get back on to comment. Have a wonderful day, and look out for a little leprechaun or fairy magic in your world this month!
ReplyDeleteHi, Gemma! I haven't really believed in fairies and leprechauns. Perhaps, being in Ireland brings the mythology closer to one's life. Congratulations on the story.
ReplyDeleteI love the stories of Ireland. My grandfather loved collecting them and when he passed, I received his book. It's one of my treasures. I could really see him as one of the children of Danu.
ReplyDeleteHi Vicki, Yes, being in Ireland makes it all larger than life and entirely possible. I'm sure, though, there are plenty of Irish people who don't believe they exist. Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure, Melissa. Clearly those stories were dear to his heart. I can't imagine a better reminder of someone you loved.
ReplyDeleteGemma,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I do love hearing about the fairy-folk and your story sounds wonderful!
Love all stories about Ireland. I've never been there, but it must be a magical place
ReplyDeleteGemma, how cool you spent vacations in Ireland. I don't know much about leprechauns. Not being Irish, I've never paid much attention. I found your history of them fascinating. I thought the same thing as Sandy about the leprechauns coming here on alien spaceships. There are those who believe aliens visited Earth centuries ago. Your story sounds great. I love your books. Can't wait to read this one.
ReplyDelete