Description
In the small Irish town of Rathcullen, County Kerry, Darby O'Gill is the aging Caretaker of Lord Fitzpatrick's estate. He lives on the estate, in the Gatehouse, with his lovely, almost grown, daughter Katie. But Darby spends most of his time in the town pub, regaling his friends with tales of his attempts to catch the leprechauns, particularly the Leprechaun King Brian Connors. Lord Fitzpatrick decides that Darby is past his prime as a laborer; so he decides to retire Darby on half-pay, and give him and Katie another cottage to live in, rent-free. He also decides to bring into Darby's old position, a new younger man named Michael McBride. Darby begs Michael not to tell Katie he's being replaced, to which Michael reluctantly agrees. That very night, Darby is captured by the leprechauns; he is tripped down the old ruined well on top of the fairy mountain Knocknasheega, by his horse, Cleopatra (who is actually a Pooka). Once captured, Darby discovered that King Brian did it as a "favor" to Darby, so he won't have to make any shameful admission to Katie about losing his job. But Darby has no desire to remain the leprechauns prisoner/guest "forever", and be separated from Katie. So Darby tricks all the leprechauns into going off onto a fox hunt by playing "The Fox Chase" for them on a beautiful Stradivarius violin, loaned to him by King Brian. The leprechauns, after a wild dance, mount their tiny white horses and leave for a hunt in the night, through a large crack in the mountainside wall which King Brian magically creates. Darby then escapes through this after the last of the leprechauns ride out. However, Darby also attempts to steal some of the leprechauns treasure, but it all falls out through a hole in his coat pocket and he's left with nothing.