The Leprechaun King

Creator: Arthur Cola Legendary Tales
Age rating: Everyone
The leader of "baby boomer" tourists in Ireland meets a mystic who introduces him to the existence of the enchanted realm. He soon leads his group of women on a quest to find the stolen coin from the Leprechaun King's Pot of Gold and solve a 1500 year old mystery.
Project collaboration: Closed
Full synopsis
Synopsis:



The Leprechaun King by Arthur Cola
Synopsis

The story revolves around a group of “baby boomer” tourists who are traveling through present day Ireland. This group of travelers would become known as The Thorn and Roses. It is a title bestowed upon them by the King of the Leprechauns whom they would meet after the Thorn (Arthur, Papa) is vested with the task of fulfilling an ancient quest.
The quest’s goal is to solve 1500 year old mystery which involves a coin stolen from the
Pot of Gold of King Finbar VI in the 5th century. As a result of that theft, perpetrated by none other than Morgan le Fay of Arthurian legend fame, (who disguised as a Celtic Princess had married a local Chieftain and bore him a daughter), the King and his descendents would have limited magical powers as their kettle in not complete.

In fact, the ancient Leprechaun King would have to hide his kettle until such time that the coin could be found. Thus did 1500 years pass with no success in recovering the coin.

From his being dubbed the “chosen one” for the task of the quest by Kathleen, the Drapery Lady of Clonmacnoise, even though he was not of pure Irish blood, the Thorn would set out to find the current King of the Leprechauns, Finbar X. It would also be she who unfolds the miracle of the Shamrock to Arthur who would be called the “Thorn.” The Thorn would follow an ancient map left by one who did not fulfill an earlier quest. He finds the map quite by accident in the ruins of the Clonmacnoise Cathedral during its restoration. Even the mystical characters of McCarthy and Kathleen would be unaware of its hiding place.

The “Roses” are Arthur’s traveling companions. One of the Roses, Donna, is his wife and the others (Nancy, Marilyn and Anita) are friends who were affiliated with his work as a School Principal. He keeps the story of the Shamrock Secret to himself at first and reveals only a treasure hunt of sorts to the “Roses”.

The quest begins in earnest when the Thorn following the directives of Kathleen summons forth Finbar X at Blarney Castle. The king is charmed to help the tourist fulfill the quest. The two become friends of sorts as they travel together following the map which reveals where clues to the kettle’s location may be found. As a result many of the most familiar cultural, natural, sacred and historical sites in Ireland are portrayed as scenes in which the plot unfolds.

During their journey the villains are introduced. These antagonists are two Jaunty Cart Drivers from the Gap of Dunloe. The “Roses” in fact befriend the two, who are suspicious of the Thorn’s activity and take advantage of the situation to be with the group beyond the touring of the Gap. At the end of the story these two would be revealed as followers of Morgan le Fay who seek to restore all power to the realm of dark magic.

It is in the Gap where the Thorn and King find the lost magical coin of Finbar VI. It is at the Gap where the King reveals the role of Morgan le Fay.

The “Thorn” becomes suspicious of the two Jaunty Cart drivers but cannot reveal this as yet to the “Roses”. And so a cat and mouse game begins in which the “THORN AND ROSES are followed by Bobby and Sean though unknown to them. On the Cliffs of Dun Aengus on the Aran Island of Inishmore, the younger villain, Sean, plays his hand and tries to steal the ancient map found in the ruins. A struggle ensues for possession of the map but the King manages to disappear with it. Sean almost loses his life in the struggle which results in his clinging for life on the cliff’s edge on Inishmore.

With information garnered from the Wee Folk Clan on the Aran Islands, the King and the Thorn and Roses set off for Glendalough. It is here that the entire truth is presented to the “Roses” who are shocked and awe struck by the appearance of the Leprechaun King and his friend, Lord Shaughnessy, Chieftain of the Glendalough Wee Folk Clan. It is here that confrontations with Bobby and Sean result in a chase to Kilkenny. The tourists hide in the medieval city and plot their next step using a clue found in a Rock revealed through magical means. The clue directs them to Kells Priory outside Kilkenny.
In Kells, Bobby and Sean kidnap the King but not before he leaves his crown to alert the Thorn to where another clue may be found. The villains escape with the King. The Thorn and Roses discover the clue in the tower of the walled city ruins.

The Thorn is able to read the clue written in the Irish due to the same charm of Blarney which keeps the King helpful to him. The charm gives him the gift of “eloquence” in the Irish language.

The clue leads the tourists turned sleuths to follow a rainbow to Killarney where after a false start they enter the enchanted Forest on the Muckross House Estate.

There, the Thorn is captured by Bobby and Sean but not before he grabs the sack containing the kidnapped King and releases him. The “Roses” are powerless to help for fear of what may happen to Arthur, the Thorn.

As they approach Torc Falls the guiding Rainbow slices the falls in two and on a Rainbow bridge appears the Leprechaun King. The villains are duped into thinking that they can claim the King’s Pot of Gold and follow Wee Folk behind the Falls. The Thorn and Roses do likewise. Once behind the falls all find themselves in the Realm of the Wee Folk where the kettle of Finbar VI, lost for 1500 years rests. The villains try to take hold of the kettle but are thwarted by the kettle itself. They would be tossed from the realm back into the river formed by the falls by the King’s restored strength of magical powers.

A celebration ensues during which the “Thorn” returns the missing coin to the Pot of Gold. A song of the epic quest is sung by the Wee Folk lauding the deeds of the Thorn and Roses. The King bestows upon them a replica coin of the kettle, which they may use to call upon the King for help should they need to do so.

It is during this celebration that the Secret of the Shamrock is made known.

The film ends with Papa, the Thorn, flipping the coin as his wife watches and his grandchildren to whom he has been telling this tale lay asleep with their Shamrock cookies in hand.

Latest Work

  • Script 1 - Arthur Cola's Original Draft
    11/29/10
    Main1291094267._sx304_sy171_
    Creative Notes:
    The screenplay is based on my adult fairy tale: "Papa and the Leprechaun King, The Secret Legend of the Shamrock" in which a grandfather is retelling his grandchildren the tale of a fantastic adventure in which he and their grandmother encountered the Leprechaun King and helped to save the enchanted realm while on tour of Ireland. An original song has also been composed.
    RTF