Tale I
You really haven't heard? No? You must have; surely everyone has heard of Bearach Candlestick O'Floinn? Perhaps it's just in this corner of the mountains then? Mountains? Yes, the Mountains of Mourne. He's as well known here as, as... well his sister for one.
Pretty you say? Well I wouldn't have used that adjective in connection with Bearach Candlestick O'Floinn even on a dark rainy night; I might use several others though! Oh, you meant his sister! Well they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder but, perhaps, it will suffice if I say I wouldn't behold if I was you...
Now Bearach Candlestick O'Floinn is certainly someone to meet, that is if you are able: because he can be rather circumspect about whom he sees. He doesn't like to be caught... caught unawares I mean.
Oh, you'd like to meet him then, but where does he live, where can you find him? Well this pub would be a good place on another night, some nights, well the odd night perhaps. And certainly with his long nose in a jug or then, perhaps, at a crossroads leaning on a stick.
Can't you just go to his house? Of course you can't you amadán. Where would it be do you thinks Bearach Candlestick O'Floinn lives? He doesn't advertise that, you know, or where he keeps his gold.
Sounds like a leprechaun! Well what else do you think I was talking about- that's Bearach Candlestick O'Floinn, as fine a leprechaun as ever you'll meet, if you do, isn't that so Feargus O'Dubhthaigh?
There was a grunt, presumably of agreement down the bar.
You don't believe in 'em! Dangerous talk. Green waist coated suit, silly great green top hat with a shamrock or perhaps a four leaf clover stuck on, buckles to belt, hat and shoes and stripey green socks indeed! What sort of idea do you be having of leprechauns? Haven't you seen 'em? You might find them across the water dressed like that, all Americanised, but I don't think you'd find Bearach Candlestick O'Floinn in such garb. Mind you there was this girl who dressed up like such a Mac Leprechaun who took Bearach Candlestick O'Floinn's fancy one night and I don't think she's been quite the same about leprechauns ever since... or the colour green.
What happened? Well I'll tell you and, no, I don't mind if I have another. Thank you kindly, a drop of the black stuff—aye a pint. Good man yourself.
It was like this.
It all started at the dance you see at this very pub. Colleen was up from the town visiting and she came along dressed, it being a fancy dress party and all, in the sort of get up you might find in the town but it caused a bit of eyebrow raising I can tell you. She a pretty wan alright, with long red hair and the boys liked her well enough as soon as they saw her and so she was never short of a partner. It's thirsty work dancing, thank you kindly, and perhaps she'd drunk more than she should have. Anyway the disco had stopped and we were into the fiddle time and still the young ones were around. I remember the lights flickering a bit and then in he came. Who? Why Bearach Candlestick O'Floinn himself. Smart he looked. He'd brushed up well; you couldn't fault the cleanliness of his ruff or the pressing of his red jacket or the set of his cocked hat. His sister would have been proud of him. Well, yes perhaps I overstated that, not proud of him - that would have been a first!
"There's an awful drought on me," he'd said. Well that was no surprise and you'd hardly refuse him a jug. No, believe me you wouldn't. So he soon had that nose of his in a jug and the fiddling started again and he'd smiled round at the company in a friendly way which was good until, that is, he saw Colleen, when a frown came over his features. Now it might've been her shoes he didn't rate but I don't think it was just that.
'Course Colleen was oblivious; worse still, and I do think she was not as clear headed as she might have been on account of the drink, she spoke to him.
"Old man," she'd said. Well, that wasn't a good start. "I didn't see you here earlier."
"Doesn't mean I wasn't here," he'd snapped back.
"Yes it does, I don't miss much." It was all superior town like talk. Not a good idea.
"Oh don't you, miss?" Bearach Candlestick O'Floinn's teeth shone. He was amused now. Not a good idea.
"And what might you be dressed as?" He looked her up and down and well he might. I know I had when Colleen wasn't looking right from those green shoes up to that silly hat. His gaze, like mine had lingered on those green and yellow stripey socks rising up above her knee or were his eyes really on the creamy thighs before the green of that short skirt? The green jacket with the buttons had long been discarded but there was the green blouse with a very generous thrust of breast straining the material. Oh, did I mention the belt with the big buckle? Then there was the hat but he didn't miss her face, pretty as I said with freckles and a stub nose and all that red hair. Now the hat, all floppy like, but a sort of top hat, squashed with a ridiculous belt and buckle around it for no apparent purpose. It was green to match and with a great sewn on Shamrock. Well we all knew what Colleen thought she was dressed as but we hoped she wouldn't say it.
"A Leprechaun of course, silly, what did you think I looked like!"
Now Bearach Candlestick O'Floinn can smile wide and he did; you could have posted a letter to Father Christmas. "Oh, the Logherymen dress like that do they now? Have you seen one to copy, perhaps?"
"Don't be silly there are no such things." She'd giggled. It was not an unattractive sound, no far from it. "Nor hobgoblins, nor faeries nor banshees."
Well, I wouldn't swear to it, my friend, but I thought that knocked the smile of Bearach's face for a moment as he looked around a little alarmed; but it didn't last.
"So you don't rate the little folk then—and where might you be from?"