# How can I kill a leprechaun? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 8, 2000, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516 "2000-08-08T02:53:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yue\_Han](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/eada6e/32.png) [@Yue\_Han](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yue_Han)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/1 "2000-08-08T02:53:54Z")
I’m looking for a way to end the life of a leprechaun. I’d like an answer with roots in folklore, but highly controversial theories, things you saw in movies, WAGs, or any dreams you had once after eating bad rigatoni will also be accepted, if it just explains how to kill one of the damn things. Thank you. –John ---
**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/2 "2000-08-08T02:58:46Z")
Why? What did they ever do to you? ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/3 "2000-08-08T03:23:12Z")
Try using iron–“Cold Iron” is an effective weapon against faerie folk, wee folk, or whatever you choose to call them. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/4 "2000-08-08T03:31:18Z")
Steal his _Lucky Charms_. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/5 "2000-08-08T03:34:08Z")
Napalm. Works on almost everything. ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/6 "2000-08-08T04:09:09Z")
I can’t imagine why you’d want to kill one of the little buggers - I thought they were classified as “catch and release” years ago. If they’re considered an endangered species, you could end up in big trouble - or pay a big fine, at least. However, that won’t stop me from tossing out a few ideas: Guess his name. Out-dance him. Find a talking fish who will grant you 3 wishes and use one to snuff the leprechaun. Drop a house on him. Quit believing in him. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/7 "2000-08-08T04:18:35Z")
Dont you have to take away his gold coin and render him powerless or something?? What did they do in the movie? ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/8 "2000-08-08T04:24:46Z")
Cold iron is your best bet. Carry a staff of ash shod with iron and wear a garland of rowan berries. The ash and berries will help protect you from his magick–the little gold-rats pack quite a punch. Carry fresh St. John’s Wart to poultice any injuries he may deal you–it’s a specific against wounds caused by the Folk. Four-leaf clovers mashed into a paste with holy water and applied to the eyelids is said to prevent their illusions from deceiving you. Make sure you’re after a _real_ leprechaun; if you tackle a cluricaune by mistake, you’d better have an eye that sees no evil, the grip of a lobsterman, and the luck of the Devil himself to deal with the drunken bastard. _And_ cold iron to administer the finishing blow. ---
**Author:** ![douglips](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@douglips](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/douglips)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/9 "2000-08-08T04:28:05Z")
Don’t let him get close enough to steal your gold, or he’ll teleport away. Try shooting him with an arrow, or zapping a wand at him. Don’t eat him, or you’ll get teleportitis. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/10 "2000-08-08T04:33:20Z")
…Something tells me that **Yue Han** went back to the field this morning, and _every sapling_ had a ribbon tied around it. ---
**Author:** ![Yue\_Han](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/eada6e/32.png) [@Yue\_Han](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yue_Han)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/11 "2000-08-08T04:57:43Z")
It’s worse than that, Ike. Soon, I’ll return to the Academy, and I’ll have access to a zip drive, and I’ll be able to upload my new webpage. It will explain Until then, it’s a long story to explain why the pointy-eared freaks are on my bad side. Just trust me. Thanks to all so far, especially **Balance.** Even the old version of my webpage is enough to explain why this quote: > [@](#): > > the grip of a lobsterman made me very happy: http://john\_altum.tripod.com/lobsters.html (The new version of that page features N’Sync as Lobstermen… man, I wish I had a zip drive) Thanks for the help, and keep it coming. I’ll win this one yet! –John ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/12 "2000-08-08T05:02:20Z")
> [@](#): > > What did they do in the movie? That would mean that someone here would have to admit to having seen it. Or the sequels. ---
**Author:** ![dpr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dpr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dpr)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/13 "2000-08-08T05:43:45Z")
I’ll agree with those who’ve said cold iron as most myth’s say the fairie had no like for it, though it must be pointed out that some beliefs held that They could withstand most iron but that it caused them great discomfort. These legends held that only Silver could truly banish the Faerie from this world as Silver was the metal of the moon. And yes before anyone posts I’m aware of the popular association of werewolves and silver, but my readings lead me to believe this superstition well and truly predated the werewolf theory. I’ll see if I can find a reference. ---
**Author:** ![douglips](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@douglips](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/douglips)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/14 "2000-08-08T06:05:39Z")
John, your steps for world domination on your lobstermen page remind me of the underpants gnomes. 1. Steal underpants. 2. 3. Make lots of money. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/15 "2000-08-08T06:05:48Z")
IIRC, some legends say that the Folk revered silver because it was moon-metal, and they worshipped (more or less) a moon goddess. I don’t think silver would give them much trouble. The belief in the power of cold iron, OTOH, still lingers in such notions as the lucky horshoe over the door; I think that its original purpose was to prevent malicious fairies from entering the house (the irony makes me laugh every time I see a Lucky Charms ad). Also, there’s no indication that most of the Folk can’t be killed with any judicious application of positive entropy. A good clubbing with a stout stick would probably do most of 'em in–though I’d never dare try it on a Fir Darrig, and I’d want heavy armor (as in TANKS, not plate) before I tackled a Redcap. Further notes on the cluricaune: The cluricaune can be distinguished from the leprechaun by an aroma of alcohol. If you catch him, he’ll grant the standard 3 wishes. You will be tempted, so think about this: Do you really want to risk getting 3 wishes from a pissed-off, drunken fairie? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/16 "2000-08-08T06:15:11Z")
May I point out that silver is only particularly harmful to evil supernatural creatures-- Against a creature that’s merely mischevious, it probably wouldn’t do much except possibly help protect against their magic. Just remember, too… If you try something and it doesn’t work, it’ll just piss him or them off, and let me tell you, the one thing worse than a leprechaun is a pissed off leprechaun. ---
**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/17 "2000-08-08T07:35:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by douglips \* > \*\*Don’t let him get close enough to steal your gold, or he’ll teleport away. Try shooting him with an arrow, or zapping a wand at him. > > Don’t eat him, or you’ll get teleportitis. > \*\* I’m glad someone else was addicted to this damned game, too. I’d like to add that if you meet a leprechaun in a shop and have no other way to escape after stealing the shop’s contents, then killing a leprechaun and eating him may be EXACTLY what you want to do. ---
**Author:** ![silent\_rob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@silent\_rob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silent_rob)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/18 "2000-08-08T07:45:22Z")
Well, this is just what I’ve heard about the movie (Leprechaun), but in the first one I believe a four-leaf clover was the way they finally defeated the leprechaun. One guy wrapped it around a piece of gum and shot it in his mouth, and I do believe he exploded. In 2 and 3 I seem to remember them either tricking the Leprechaun or using silver, or just blowing him up. I mean, that’s what I’ve heard, from a friend. I don’t know about Leprechaun 4: In Da Hood with Ice Tea (I swear, I saw it for sale). That’s even worse than Leprechaun 3: In Space. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/19 "2000-08-08T08:19:34Z")
Although not supported by folklore, I’m pretty sure that tossing the little bastard into molten lava would do the trick. I’ve always thought that this would work for vampires and werewolves as well, but have not had the opportunity to test this theory. ---
**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2000, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516/20 "2000-08-08T10:07:59Z")
Calling on St Patrick can drive the little buggers away. A good exorcism would be deadly. Most of those types cannot stand to hear the name of Christ, but it just drives them away, doesn’t kill them. But, why would you WANT to kill one? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-kill-a-leprechaun/28516.md?page=2)