National Leprechaun Museum

Last updated

National Leprechaun Museum
National Leprechaun Museum logo.jpg
National Leprechaun Museum.crop.JPG
Open street map central dublin.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Central Dublin
Established10 March 2010
LocationJervis Street, Dublin, Ireland
Coordinates 53°20′51″N6°16′00″W / 53.347623°N 6.266632°W / 53.347623; -6.266632
Type Leprechaun
DirectorTom O'Rahilly
Public transit accessJervis Luas stop (Red Line)
Website leprechaunmuseum.ie

The National Leprechaun Museum is a privately owned museum dedicated to Irish folklore and mythology, through the oral tradition of storytelling. It is located on Jervis Street in Dublin, Ireland, since 10 March 2010. It claims to be the first leprechaun museum in the world. [1]

Tom O'Rahilly designed the museum (with the collaboration of two Italian designers, Elena Micheli and Walter Scipioni) and is its director. [1] [2] O'Rahilly began working on his museum in 2003. [2] [3] He views it as a "story-telling" tourist attraction designed to give visitors "the leprechaun experience" and introduce visitors to Ireland's history of storytelling. [2]

Visitors to the museum follow a guided tour involving several different rooms; each serving as sets for the stories and information. [2] The basics of Leprechaun folklore are explained, including what it is that defines a leprechaun. [2] A history of leprechaun references in popular culture is included, such as Walt Disney's visit to Ireland which led to his 1959 film Darby O'Gill and the Little People . [2] There is a tunnel full of optical illusions, a wooden replica of the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and a room with oversized items such as furniture to create the effect that the visitor has become smaller in size. [1] [2] [3]

References to other creatures are included in the tour such as the púca, fairies, and banshee, among others. The museum also has a souvenir shop. [2]

The National Leprechaun Museum has received mixed reception. In 2010, The Irish Times referred to it as the "Louvre of leprechauns". [2] In 2024, however, the website solitaired.com published a list of the 100 "most boring" tourist attractions on earth based on data from over 66 million Google reviews, with the National Leprechaun Museum ranking in 38th place. It was the only attraction in Ireland to feature on the list, causing media to describe it as "Ireland's most boring tourist attraction". [4] [5] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lughnasadh</span> Irish holiday and Gaelic harvest festival

Lughnasadh, Lughnasa or Lúnasa is a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. Traditionally, it is held on 1 August, or about halfway between the summer solstice and autumn equinox. In recent centuries, some celebrations have shifted to Sundays near this date. Lughnasadh is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, along with Samhain, Imbolc and Beltane. It corresponds to the Welsh Gŵyl Awst and the English Lammas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leprechaun</span> Irish legendary creature

A leprechaun is a diminutive supernatural being in Irish folklore, classed by some as a type of solitary fairy. They are usually depicted as little bearded men, wearing a coat and hat, who partake in mischief. In later times, they have been depicted as shoe-makers who have a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Singapore</span>

Tourism in Singapore is a major industry and contributor to the Singaporean economy. In 2019, 19,114,002 tourists visited the country, which was the highest recorded number of arrivals since independence in 1965. As of 2023, as tourist arrivals recovers from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were a total of 13,610,404 international tourists that have visited Singapore, which was more than twice the country's total population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant's Causeway</span> Interlocking basalt columns in Northern Ireland

The Giant's Causeway is an area of approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles (4.8 km) northeast of the town of Bushmills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cliffs of Moher</span> Sea cliffs in County Clare, Ireland

The Cliffs of Moher are sea cliffs located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region in County Clare, Ireland. They run for about 14 kilometres. At their southern end, they rise 120 metres (390 ft) above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag's Head, and, 8 kilometres to the north, they reach their maximum height of 214 metres (702 ft) just north of O'Brien's Tower, a round stone tower near the midpoint of the cliffs, built in 1835 by Sir Cornelius O'Brien, then continue at lower heights. The closest settlements are the villages of Liscannor 6 km to the south, and Doolin 7 km to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Ireland</span>

The culture of Ireland includes the art, music, dance, folklore, traditional clothing, language, literature, cuisine and sport associated with Ireland and the Irish people. For most of its recorded history, the country’s culture has been primarily Gaelic. Strong family values, wit and an appreciation for tradition are commonly associated with Irish culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Wax Museum Plus</span> Wax museum in Dublin, Ireland

The National Wax Museum Plus is a waxworks in Dublin, Ireland. First opened in 1983 as the National Wax Museum, it was later relocated and renamed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malahide Castle</span> Castle and demesne by the village of Malahide, County Dublin

Malahide Castle, parts of which date to the 12th century, lies close to the village of Malahide, 14 km north of central Dublin in Ireland. It has over 260 acres (1.1 km2) of remaining parkland estate, forming the Malahide Demesne Regional Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballylongford</span> Village in County Kerry, Ireland

Ballylongford is a village near Listowel in northern County Kerry, Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in New York City</span>

New York City received a ninth consecutive annual record of approximately 65.2 million tourists in 2018, the busiest tourist city attraction, and one of the world's overall busiest tourist attractions, counting not just overnight visitors but anyone visiting for the day from over 50 miles away, including commuters. Overall the city welcomed 37.9 million visitors who stayed overnight in 2018, of whom 13.6 million were international. Major destinations include the Empire State Building, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island, Broadway theatre productions, Central Park, Times Square, Coney Island, the Financial District, museums, and sports stadiums. Other major visitor activities include luxury shopping along Fifth and Madison Avenues; entertainment events such as the Tribeca Film Festival; Randalls Island music festivals such as Governors Ball, Panorama and Electric Zoo; and free performances in Central Park at Summerstage and Delacorte Theater. Many New York City ethnic enclaves, such as Jackson Heights, Flushing, and Brighton Beach are major shopping destinations for first and second generation Americans.

<i>Jeanie Johnston</i> Ship; replica of a three-masted barque from 1847

Jeanie Johnston is a replica of a three-masted barque that was originally built in Quebec, Canada, in 1847 by the Scottish-born shipbuilder John Munn. The replica Jeanie Johnston performs a number of functions: it is an ocean-going sail training vessel at sea, and in port, it converts into a living history museum on 19th century emigration and, in the evenings, is used as a corporate event venue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in the Republic of Ireland</span>

Tourism in the Republic of Ireland is one of the biggest contributors to the economy of Ireland, with 9.0 million people visiting the country in 2017, about 1.8 times Ireland's population. Each year about €5.2bn in revenue is made from economic activities directly related to tourists, accounting for nearly 2% of GNP and employing over 200,000 people. In 2011 alone, Ireland was voted 'Favourite holiday destination in the World' by readers of Frommer's Guide, Lonely Planet listed Ireland as the world's friendliest country and Cork City as one of the top ten cities in the world and the Irish tourist boards website, DiscoverIreland.com, was named the best tourist board website in the world. Most tourists visiting Ireland come from the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rashtrapati Nilayam</span> Official retreat in Telangana, India

Rashtrapati Nilayam formerly known as Residency House is the official winter retreat of the President of India located in Hyderabad, Telangana. was officially opened to the public in March 2023, allowing visitors to explore its vast grounds, thematic gardens, and architectural marvels. The President stays here for at least two weeks during their winter sojourn visit and conducts official business. It is also used as a guest house for visiting dignitaries. It is located in Bolaram in Secunderabad, a neighbourhood of Hyderabad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dún Aonghasa</span> Hill fort on Inis Mór, western Ireland

Dún Aonghasa is the best-known of several prehistoric hill forts on the Aran Islands of County Galway, Ireland. It lies on Inis Mór, at the edge of a 100-metre-high (330 ft) cliff.

<i>Titanic</i> Belfast Visitor attraction in Northern Ireland

TitanicBelfast is a visitor attraction in Northern Ireland, which opened in 2012. A monument to Belfast's maritime heritage on the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard in the city's Titanic Quarter where the RMS Titanic was built. It tells the stories of the Titanic, which hit an iceberg and sank during her maiden voyage in 1912, and her sister ships RMS Olympic and HMHS Britannic. The building contains more than 12,000 square metres (130,000 sq ft) of floor space, most of which is occupied by a series of galleries, private function rooms and community facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Museum of Dublin</span> Local history museum, urban museum in Dublin, Ireland

The Little Museum of Dublin is a local history museum situated at St Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland. The museum is located in an 18th-century Georgian townhouse owned by Dublin City Council. As of April 2024, the St Stephen's Green museum was "temporarily closed", with its operators reputedly planning to "reopen shortly" at an alternative venue on Dublin's Pembroke Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nancy O'Rahilly</span> American-born Irish nationalist

Nancy (Brown) O'Rahilly (1878 –1961) was an American-born Irish nationalist who was involved in the founding and early activities of several institutions in Ireland in the early 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum</span> Museum in Dublin

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, located in Dublin's Docklands, covers the history of the Irish diaspora and emigration to other countries. It was designed by the London-based design firm Event Communications, and was voted as "Europe's Leading Tourist Attraction" at the 2019, 2020 and 2021 World Travel Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Event Communications</span> Museum exhibition design firm

Event Communications, or Event, is one of Europe's longest-established and largest museum and visitor attraction design firms; it is headquartered in London.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "National Leprechaun Museum Opens Its Doors in Dublin". NewsCore. 17 March 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rosita Boland (10 March 2010). "The Louvre of leprechauns". The Irish Times . Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
  3. 1 2 Donal Thornton (10 March 2010). "New National Leprechaun Museum opens its doors in Dublin". irishcentral.com. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
  4. Loftus, Alana (23 April 2024). "Irish museum features on list of 100 most boring tourist attractions". Irish Star. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  5. "National Leprechaun Museum named as Ireland's most boring tourist attraction". BreakingNews.ie. 17 April 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  6. Lonergan, Lili (17 April 2024). "REVEALED: National Leprechaun Museum named most boring tourist attraction in Ireland". www.limerickleader.ie. Retrieved 27 August 2024.