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The Clurichaun is a mischievous spree related to the Leprechaun. According to Irish folklore, the Clurichaun is thought to be a shoemaker, a guardian of hidden treasures, a lover of drink and pipe smoking, and a creature that enjoys haunting wine cellars. This drinking spree has been described as measuring six inches tall with a face resembling a withered apple, twinkling eyes, and a red nose from heavy drinking.
Sound like anyone you know?
Although tiny in stature, and comical in appearance, you don’t want to cross words with a Clurichaun as they can be quick to anger–even becoming violent when slighted. But, if not provoked, these tricksters often limit themselves to harmless disturbances such as making noises day and night.
Clurichauns are also know to have a magical shilling in their pocket. Once spent, the shilling will always return to the owners pocket–providing a limitless source of revenue. For this reason, many a person has attempted to capture this creature . . . often times to their own misfortune. Capturing a Clurichaun is very difficult, however, as they can disappear in the blink of an eye.1
| Characteristic | Clurichauns | Leprechauns |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing color | Red | Green |
| Activity | Drinking in people’s cellars | Making shoes |
| Ability | Can ride on an enchanted plant (e.g., ragweed or bog rush) | Can become invisible; has access to a pot of gold or a purse that never empties |
https://www.mentalfloss.com/culture/folklore-mythology/clurichaun-irish-mythology
The origins of the word clurichaun are fairly opaque. In one 1855 work published by the Ossianic Society, a Dublin-based organization committed to preserving the Irish language and literature, clurichaun is rendered as Clobhar-ceann, meaning “clover-head.” (Clóbhar is “clover,” and ceann is “head.”) How the puny cellar-dwellers earned that epithet is a mystery. Clovers’ link to luck seems like a plausible explanation, since catching a clurichaun comes with the chance to shake him for cash. Or maybe people just thought their ruddy, wrinkled visages resembled the scraggly pink flowers of red clover.
What makes a clurichaun a clurichaun varies from story to story, and the best way to get to know them is to read those stories yourself. There are some unifying details and motifs throughout the literature, from what a clurichaun wears (often a red hat, a leather apron, and huge silver buckles on his shoes) to what he does (enjoys a drink, lords over a cellar, rides a plant, and makes shoes). Also, their reputation for mischief might be at least a little undeserved: Much of their trickery serves the purpose of escaping humans trying to rob them.2
.fandom.com/wiki/Clurichaun
Clurichauns are wild and unpredictable creatures, with a horrible drinking habit. When they get drunk enough, they can ride on livestock on wild escapades. They are also known to sneak up on travelers, forming big circles around them. They sneak into the wine cellars of the rich, drinking up a great portion of the wine owner . And, if the wine owner drinks to much wine, the pesky clurichaun will give the man a great, hard pinch. And if the man decides to move away with his wine barrels, the clurichaun will hide in one of them. The only way to get rid of the pest is to either burn the inhabited barrel, or bless the wine barrel, for clurichauns are harmed by religious relics and prayers.
Clurichauns also have a craving for silver, keeping a pouch of silver coins wherever they go.3
According to folklore, clurichauns emerge from their hiding places after dark to indulge in their favorite pastime — drinking. They will go to great lengths to gain access to a well-stocked cellar. Once inside, they will drink their fill, often leaving behind a trail of empty bottles and drunken revelry.
However, despite their love for the drink, clurichauns are not necessarily malevolent creatures. In fact, like many other fairy folk, clurichauns can be quite helpful to those who treat them with respect. Some folk tales say that clurichauns will protect a home’s supply of alcohol from theft and spoilage — in exchange, of course, for a regular offering of a glass or two.
That said, if a clurichaun should feel slighted or disrespected, it can become quite mischievous and possibly destructive. It may turn your milk sour, cause your family or livestock to become sick, or wreak havoc in the cellar. It goes without saying, then, that it’s in your best interest to appease a clurichaun, should one appear in your cellar.
While clurichauns don’t get the same name recognition as their less booze-obsessed counterparts, these tiny Irish folklore creatures do serve as a reminder to enjoy the pleasures of life in moderation and to treat all creatures — even troublesome ones — with respect.4 – Austin Harvey
1.https://tracirobison.com/mysteries-of-the-clurichaun/
2.https://www.mentalfloss.com/culture/folklore-mythology/clurichaun-irish-mythology
3.https://warriorsofmyth.fandom.com/wiki/Clurichaun
4.https://allthatsinteresting.com/irish-folklore-creatures/8