Leprechaun legends from Irish mythology, describes a type of male faerie said to inhabit the island of Ireland. There are many a leprechaun stories in Irish folklore. History and some Irish legends are about people said to have inhabited Ireland before the arrival of the Celts. These people were said to be small in stature.
These and other creatures of Irish mythology are often associated with "faerie forts" or "faerie rings". These are often the sites of ancient (Celtic or pre-Celtic) earthworks or drumlins. According to Leprechaun folklore these "fairy folk" usually take the form of old men who enjoy partaking in mischief.
Were these people the real Leprechauns???? Does this answer the question "are Leprechauns real"?
In all the Leprechaun legends and almost every single Leprechaun story, thier main trade is that of a cobbler or shoemaker. These cobblers were leather workers and tanners and were producing in addition to shoes, such things as shields as well as clothing, bowls and buckets. They were known as craft specialists, the professionals in the community and were paid lots of money for their work.
According to Irish folklore, because they work so hard and are very thrifty, maybe even misers, Leprechauns are said to be very rich. They have accumulated a lot of gold and buried it in pots. Irish folklore suggests that these "Pots of Gold" were buried at the end of a rainbow.
According to Leprechaun legend, if someone was smart enough to capture one of these sly little fairies, and keeps an eye fixed upon him, he cannot escape, but the moment the gaze is withdrawn, he vanishes. If you ask him where his treasure is buried while he is captured, he must be truthful and honest and tell you the location of his treasure.
Notre Dame University teams are known as the Fighting Irish. The Leprechaun was taken from Irish folklore and chosen as the mascot for the Notre Dame teams.
The Notre Dame logo is a picture of the side view of a Leprechaun with his dukes up, ready to fight any foe into submission. There is a live version of this mascot that is a student. He is dressed in an Irish green suit and Irish country hat. He has a magical shillelagh that brings "The Good Luck Of The Irish" to the team as he leads the fans in cheers for their team.