A little reason to celebrate
National Leprechaun Day
Fun ยท May 13
A day for the leprechaun of Irish folklore, the small shoemaker with a hidden pot of gold and a talent for slipping away when caught.
National Leprechaun Day falls on Thursday, May 13, 2027. That is 198 days away.
The leprechaun comes from Irish folklore. He is usually pictured as a small, bearded man who lives alone, keeps to himself and guards a crock of gold. In the older stories he is a shoemaker, and you might find him by following the tap of his tiny hammer.
Catching one is supposed to be the way to his treasure. The trouble is keeping hold of him. Tales tell of people who grab a leprechaun, look away for a single second at his urging, and find their hands empty. He is clever, a little vain and very good at bargaining, which makes him less a cute mascot and more a sharp negotiator in a small coat.
The familiar American picture, with a green suit, a buckled hat and a rainbow ending at his gold, grew over time from those stories. Older Irish accounts often dressed him in red.
People mark the day with stories and small mischief. Children build traps out of shoeboxes and twigs, then check them in the morning for a scatter of glitter or a tipped-over chair. Families leave a few coins somewhere unexpected. Some people simply reread the old tales, where the leprechaun is at his best: alone at his workbench, mending one shoe, never a pair.
Ways to celebrate
- Build a leprechaun trap from a shoebox, twigs and a few shiny coins.
- Read an Irish folktale about a leprechaun aloud.
- Hide a few coins around the house for someone to find.
- Draw your own leprechaun, red coat or green.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Wednesday, May 13 |
| 2027 | Thursday, May 13 |
| 2028 | Saturday, May 13 |
| 2029 | Sunday, May 13 |
| 2030 | Monday, May 13 |
Also on May 13
Categories: Fun days