It’s hard enough finding a leprechaun, getting one to agree to an interview is nearly impossible. Luckily, through a friend of a friend, I was able to find a leprechaun willing to go on record about Saint Patrick’s Day and leprechaun culture. Sly-Robert was born (or hatched…leprechauns are coy about their birth process) in Ireland and moved to Orlando, FL in the 1980s. He’s since moved from forest to forest across the United States. I invited him to the studio and after a few rounds of strong tea, he finally began to open up.

DAN BERGSTEIN: Thanks for making the time. This must be a busy time of year for you?
SLY-ROBERT: It’s busy, but honestly there’s not much for me to do officially. It’s not like I have to make toys or hide eggs. It’s pretty much…I have to hide. That’s it. I hide on St. Pat’s Day and if someone catches me during that day, they get my gold.

Has anyone ever found you?
Nope. I’ve been doing this for 377 years and no one has found me…ever.

That must feel good. It’s quite an accomplishment.
It’s okay. It’s weird. You do this long enough without being found and you start to get a little crazy. For a few decades I was convinced that I was dead and that’s why no one could find me. That was a dark time. But now things are better. It’s still fun I guess.

Where are some of your favorite hiding spots?
Like I’m going to tell you where I hide. Nice try. Look, it’s different every year. One year I was in an attic in Denver. Nine years ago I hid in France at this perfume shop. I’ve hidden on trains and in planes. I’ve hidden inside backpacks at Middle Schools. A few times I hid inside the Liberty Bell. I thought for sure someone would spot me, but it never happened. Continue reading →