St Patrick's Day Poetry - The Leprechaun (Irish Laddie)

The Leprechaun (You're No Irish Laddie!)
by Marc Gunn, Bard 2/2001

St Patrick's Day song written for St Patrick's Day 2001. This is a silly analogy between the mischievious modern Leprechaun and the antiquated thinking of traditionalist Celtic musicians. It is based on the belief that as long as you share your love of the music and a few people might come to appreciate Celtic music half as much as we do, then we've done our jobs. It's from my CD, Soul of a Harper.

There's a Leprechaun in me head, and I wish that I were dead
For I don't think he'll ever let me be.
Ah, he tempts me with his gold, and if I were e'er so bold,
I'd strangle him and leave him in the street.

Then he says to me, "Ah, you're no Irish Laddie!
And ye call that thing a harp?"
But each time I share the lore that I am learning.
He hides is head while my friends they chant.

La ta tee, da diddley dee, la ta tee ta tee da
La ta tee, da diddley diddley dai
La ta tee, da diddley dee, la ta tee ta tee da
La ta tee, da diddley diddley dai

There's a leprechaun in my room. He swats me with a broom.
That's the reason I forget the words of this song.
Well, he shows a four-leaf clover, and before me song is over,
He's buried it in a bowl of Lucky Charms.

There's a leprechaun on the floor. He says that I'm a bore.
His eyes begin to glaze and starts to yawn.
He lays on down to sleep. But I can see one eye a-peeping.
He's watching me with envy deep inside.

There's a leprechaun on a hill, and I know his gold is there.
So I grab him by the neck 'fore he gets away.
"Ah, the pot's too heavy," he giggles. So I pinch me just a little.
And he thinks I'm fooled as I run away.

Do you like this poem? Pick up your Copy of Bella Filíocht, my new poetry book.

MARC'S NEW CD