According to the rules of the mythical world, the father of nine could pass on his special gift to the oldest of his seven sons.
For more than 30 years, Kevin Woods has been communicating regularly with the 236 leprechauns he claims live on the Cooley Mountains beside his house in the Co. Louth village of Carlingford.
However, 80-year-old Kevin knows he can’t go on forever.
According to the rules of the mythical world, the father of nine could pass on his special gift to the oldest of his seven sons.
His son, however, has told his father to “get stuffed”, so Kevin has to find someone else to keep the ancient tradition alive. If he doesn’t, Kevin fears it could be fatal for his little friends.
Kevin Woods in Carlingford Leprechaun & Fairy Cavern & Folklore Park, Co. Louth
“These are the last leprechauns in Ireland and they can only communicate with a human who believes in them,” he said.
“If I don’t find a believer who can take on the whisperer’s role, it could be the end of the leprechauns.”
In Irish folklore, leprechauns helped guard hidden treasure and were rarely seen or caught.
As well as believing in leprechauns, any potential whisperers hoping to take on Kevin’s job must pass a unique test in the leprechaun cavern he has built beside his home.
As they hold a leprechaun spade against their heart, Kevin places a leprechaun hat on the applicant’s head and recites a secret prayer.
If the person experiences a warm feeling on their head underneath the hat, they have the whispering gift.
This Sunday World reporter, like many thousands before him, failed the test this week. The search for Kevin’s heir goes on.
The legend of the Carlingford leprechauns began in 1989 when local publican, PJ O’Hare, found what was believed to be a leprechaun suit and bones on a mountain beside the village.
Ireland’s only Leprechaun Whisperer Kevin Woods, in the underground leprechaun cavern
Inside one of the pockets in the suit were four gold coins.
PJ told his friend Kevin about his unusual find.
“He said he believed leprechauns lived on the Cooley Mountains and I told him it was rubbish,” said Kevin.
“I said I would prove to him there was no such things as leprechauns, and one day got as many people up on the mountain as I could.
“I hid four toy leprechauns on the mountains with one thousand punts underneath each of them. I sold leprechaun-hunting licences for a tenner.
“On the day, people came in their thousands with nets and traps, but when they came off the mountain they had found nothing but the toy leprechauns and the punts and I made eight thousand punts for charity.
The fairy cavern entrance
“That was the end of that and there was no more talk about leprechauns.”
That was, until a few years later when Kevin found more gold coins while helping a friend fix a stone wall.
He took the coins to the mountain area where the leprechaun suit had been found by PJ.
To his amazement, Kevin saw three leprechauns at the same spot – but they quickly disappeared before he could say anything to them.
He went home and told people about his experience, but no one believed him, just as he had not believed his friend.
The following day, Kevin went back to the mountain to convince himself he must have been hallucinating. However, this time there was someone waiting for him; a leprechaun with a special message for the man from Carlingford.
For more than 30 years, Kevin Woods has been communicating regularly with the 236 leprehauns he claims live on the Cooley Mountains
The leprechaun told Kevin his name was Carraig and that he was the last of 236 leprechauns who lived in Ireland. He said there had once been millions of leprechauns in Ireland but they had died out because people stopped believing in them.
The leprechaun told Kevin they needed someone from humankind to protect them, otherwise they would die out.
They had picked the right man.
For several years, as well as trying to convince everyone leprechauns really did exist, Kevin also lobbied the European Union on behalf of his new friends.
“I finally got them protected as a species by the European Union in 2009 under the European habitats directive for flora, fauna and wild animals.
“I got leprechauns added to the protected list on the grounds that no one could say whether or not they really existed.”
Tourists from all over the world now flock to the Carlingford Leprechaun & Fairy Cavern & Folklore Park at Kevin’s home to hear about his special relationship with leprechauns.
Among the recent visitors was a Co. Armagh man who proposed to his girlfriend in the leprechaun cavern.
The cavern, which is also popular with hen parties, has two tunnels, one of which leads to the nearby mountains and the other across Carlingford Lough to Rostrevor in Co. Down.
Kevin Woods in Carlingford Leprechaun & Fairy Cavern & Folklore Park, Co. Louth
Each morning, Kevin says the leprechauns gather in the cavern from both sides of the border to dance with their friends before heading back to their natural habitat.
The world’s media have also been alerted to the story of the Irishman who talks to the little people.
A popular Dutch YouTuber has just visited the folklore park, and his video has been watched by thousands.
A TV crew from Argentina is also travelling to Carlingford in the coming weeks to make a programme about Kevin and the leprechauns.
However, by far the most exciting project is a TV series.
Kevin has teamed up with kids’ TV veteran Tim Patterson to create an animated series called The Carlichauns.
Keith Chapman, the creator of famous children’s TV shows PAW Patrol and Bob the Builder, has also come on board as executive producer of the new series.
The show will tell the stories of children all over the world as they send their wishes to the Carlichauns in the hope they can make their dreams come true.
Chapman said: “I was immediately drawn to the Carlichauns: a world of myth, magic, mystery and mirth.
“I love the colourful and entertaining cast of characters and the simplicity of the idea, where a hero team of Carlichaun friends go on exciting and magical adventures to grant special wishes to children from around the world. They must overcome challenges along the way, but always with a smile.”
Kevin also told the Sunday World that representatives of Michael Flatley have had discussions about the Riverdance creator possibly getting involved in the Carlichauns series.
However, Kevin’s main focus remains on finding someone to take on the crucial role of Ireland’s only Leprechaun Whisperer.
“There was once millions of leprechauns all across Ireland and they used to live in clans because there were so many believers in Ireland.
“But then when people went off to America or wherever, they stopped believing in the spirits.
“Whether it’s your faith or anything else, if you stop believing, it dies. Well, leprechauns are the very same.
“The reason they arrived here was that there was once 82 believers living in this area and the leprechauns decided to relocate to Carlingford from all over Ireland to create this one remaining community.
“My function in life is to keep the 236 leprechauns alive. We can’t create any more of them, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.
“I am the only remaining believer and it’s important I pass this gift on to someone else.
“I am like the Messiah for the leprechauns.”
Could you be Ireland’s new Leprechaun Whisperer? Contact coneill@sundayworld.com