Darby O'Gill and the Little People

Darby O'Gill and the Little People

Plot

1)

Darby O'Gill and his daughter, Katie, live in Rathcullen, a small Irish town where Darby is the caretaker for Lord Fitzpatrick's estate.

Darby tries to catch a tribe of leprechauns, particularly their king, Brian Connors.

2)

Lord Fitzpatrick retires Darby, replacing him with a young Dubliner named Michael McBride.

Darby begs Michael not to tell Katie he has been replaced, and he reluctantly agrees.

3)

However, while chasing Fitzpatrick's horse, Cleopatra, which is a pooka, Darby is captured by Brian and the leprechauns and taken to their mountain lair, Knocknasheega.

Brian has brought Darby there to prevent Katie from learning he lost his job.

Darby cannot leave Knocknasheega as a consequence.

4)

Darby tricks the leprechauns into opening the mountain and leaving by playing "The Fox Chase" on Brian's Stradivarius violin.

Darby escapes, expecting Brian to pursue him, later engaging him in a drinking game with a jug of poitín, allowing him to capture the leprechaun at sunrise when his magic has no effect.

5)

Since Darby has caught him, Brian grants him three wishes but warns that wishing for a fourth forfeits them all.

Darby's first wish is for Brian to stay by his side for two weeks or until Darby runs out of desires.

Brian tricks Darby into using his second wish to draw Katie and Michael closer together.

6)

Pony Sugrue, the town bully, decides to take Michael's new job and Katie for himself.

Pony's mother, Sheelah, tells Katie about Darby's retirement, causing Katie to confront Darby and Michael angrily.

7)

When Cleopatra has gotten loose again, Katie chases her to Knocknasheega.

Darby later finds her stricken with a deadly fever.

8)

A banshee appears and summons the Dullahan on a death coach to transport Katie's soul.

Brian sadly grants Darby's third wish to take Katie's place.

Inside the death coach, Brian consoles Darby and then tricks him into wishing he would have Brian's company in the afterlife.

9)

This counts as a fourth wish, and Brian voids all his others.

Finally, Darby is freed from the death coach and returns to Katie, who makes a full recovery.

Michael later confronts and humiliates Pony at the pub. However, Michael and Katie fall in love with Darby's approval.