Claricauns

Buttery spirits

Irish cellar spirits who resemble mini-innkeepers in their garb of breeches, stockings, silver buckled shoes, white shirts and aprons, and red caps. They live in the wine cellers of inns and houses. A cluricaun gives no trouble in a well-run establishment and simply takes his share of whatever food and drink are available. But, in bad hotels or inns, he gobbles up the provisions and swallows the drink in such quantities that he soon puts the landlord out of business. In a private home owned by a man too fond of wine, the cluricaun is likely to imitate the householder and consume excessive quantities of the finest wintages, so that the winelover scratches his head in puzzlement at the number of empty bottles.

The worst problem with a cluricaun is that he may become a nasty type of drunk. In such instances the house is never free from the sound of breaking bottles, drunken shouts and songs, and the general tumult as the cluricaun blunders around the cellar. There is no way to control a cluricaun and the only solution is for the homeowner to abjure strong liquours and cut off the cluricaun's source of supply. After a period of abstinence the cluricaun will seek more hospitable quarters. In England they are known as Buttery spirits.