The Leprechaun​／​Glin Cottage Polka

from i l​á​r an aonaigh by The Fuchsia Band

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about

Máirtín first heard this from the singing of Margaret Barry, one of the most famous singers from Cork. She was born into a family of Travellers and street singers, her grandmother being a Spanish gypsy. She taught herself how to play the zither banjo and the fiddle at a young age. At the age of sixteen, after a family disagreement, Margaret left home and started performing as a street musician. Barry's singing and banjo playing had an influence on the younger generation of ballad singers in Ireland and the UK, including Like Kelly. The sone was written in the middle of the 1800's by the same author as 'The Wind That Shakes The Barley", Robert Dwyer Joyce. We took it upon ourselves to match it with a few polkas and brought it to the stage in the Summer of '08. A Leprechaun is a small, mischievous sprite, from Irish "leipreachán", based on the old Irish "luchorpán", from lu 'small' + cork 'body'. No one in Ireland delivers in the Leprechauns, but we all know they are there. The polka at the end came from the playing of Jackie Daly and Seamus Creagh.

lyrics

In a shady nook one moonlit night,
A Leprechaun I spied
In scarlet cap and coat of green,
A cruiskeen by his side.
Tick, tick, tack, his hammer went,
Upon a weeny shoe,
And I laughed to think of his purse of gold,
But the fairy was laughing too.

With tip-toe step and beating heart,
Quite softly I drew nigh.
There was mischief in his merry face,
A twinkle in his eye;
He hammered and sang with tiny voice,
And drank his mountain dew;
Oh! I laughed to think he was caught at last-,
But the fairy was laughing, too.

As quick as thought I seized the elf,
"Your fairy purse," I cried,
"My purse?" said he, "'tis in her hand,
That lady by your side."
I turned to look, the elf was off,
And what was I to do?
Oh! I laughed to think of the fool I'd been,
And, the fairy was laughing too.

credits

from i l​á​r an aonaigh, released December 25, 2009

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The Fuchsia Band Cork, Ireland

The Fuchsia Band are 4 lads from Cork who play, sing and have the craic through Traditional Irish Music.

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