The clurichaun or clobhair in O'Kearney, is an Irish

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 fairy

Fairy

A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...

 which resembles the leprechaun

Leprechaun

A leprechaun is a type of fairy in Irish folklore, usually taking the form of an old man, clad in a red or green coat, who enjoys partaking in mischief. Like other fairy creatures, leprechauns have been linked to the Tuatha Dé Danann of Irish mythology...

. Some folklorists describe the clurichaun as a night "form" of the leprechaun, who goes out to drink after finishing his daily chores. Others regard them as regional variations on the same creature.

Clurichauns are said to always be drunk. However, unlike their cousins, they are surly. Many fables conclude clurichauns enjoy riding sheep and dog

Dog

The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...

s at night. If you treat them well they will protect your wine cellar, and if mistreated, they will wreak havoc on your home and spoil your wine stock. In some tales, they act as buttery spirits, plaguing drunkards or dishonest servants who steal wine; if the victim attempts to move away from their tormentor, the clurichaun will hop into a cask to accompany them.

In popular culture

• The clurichaun appears in the popular Irish folk ballad "The Little Skillet Pot" as recorded by The Black Family
  The Black Family
  The Black Family is a professional wrestling face / tecnico stable that has been working in Asistencia Asesoría y Administración since 2000. Originally a heel / rudo stable, The Black Family currently consists of original member Dark Cuervo as well as the later additions of Dark Ozz, and Dark...
  
   and others: "and you'd wander down the boreen where the clurichaun was seen, and you'd whisper loving phrases to your own dear sweet colleen".

• The clurichauns appear alongside leprechauns and banshees
  Banshee
  The banshee , from the Irish bean sí is a feminine spirit in Irish mythology, usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld....
  
   in the short story "Herself" by Diane Duane
  Diane Duane
  Diane Duane is an American science fiction and fantasy author. Her works include the Young Wizards young adult fantasy series and the Rihannsu Star Trek novels.-Biography :...
  
  , which has been published in a collection of Irish fantasy short stories, Emerald Magic.

• The clurichauns appear in the popular children's book The Warlock: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
  The Warlock: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
  The Warlock is the fifth book of the series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel written by Irish author Michael Scott. The novel was released in the USA on May 24, 2011, published by Delacorte Press, which is an imprint of Random House...
  
   by Michael Scott
  Michael Scott
  Michael Scott, Michael Scot, or Mike Scott may refer to:* Michael Scott , former regional manager of Dunder Mifflin Scranton in the U.S. TV series The Office-Academics:...
  
   as one of the creatures planned to be loosed on the city of San Francisco by Niccolo Machiavelli and Billy the Kid.

• A clurichaun named Nageneen appears as a character in the Callahan's Crosstime Saloon
  Callahan's Crosstime Saloon
  In the fictional universe of Spider Robinson, Callahan's Place is a bar with strongly community-minded and empathic clientele. It appears in the Callahan's Crosstime Saloon stories In the fictional universe of Spider Robinson, Callahan's Place is a bar with strongly community-minded and empathic...
  
  novels "The Callahan Touch" and "Callahan's Legacy." On the opening night of Jake's bar "Mary's Place," the clurichaun drinks up every drop of booze in the bar by magically transporting the alcohol to his stomach. He's captured and three wishes are extorted from him. At first the crowd plans on using the last wish to get rid of him. In the end, they decide to let him stay by using the third wish to get him to legitimately pay for his drinks. As a result the amount of money coming into the bar is effectively tripled.