The 1959 film "Darby O'Gill and the Little People" is about Darby O'Gill, an aging Irish estate caretaker who engages in a battle of wits with King Brian of the Leprechauns or "Little People." Several times Darby gets temporary possession of the king's traditional pot of gold. The pot of gold is shown several times in the film and several different types of gold and other coins appear in the pot, including Spanish and English coins. These would have to be copies or prop coins, of course. One wonders if they were the same prop coins used in Walt Disney's 1950 film "Treasure Island." The film stars Albert Sharpe as Darby O'Gill, Janet Munro as Katie O'Gill, and Sean Connery as the visiting Dublin man Michael McBride.

In the small town of Rathcullen, County Kerry, Ireland, Darby O'Gill is the aging caretaker of Lord Fitzpatrick's estate, where he lives in the nearby house with his daughter Katie. Darby spends most of his time in the town pub, telling tales of his attempts to catch King Brian, the king of the Leprechauns. At Darby's house Katie is working when a coach arrives with the lord and another man.

Lord Fitzpatrick and Michael McBride arrive at the house to be greeted by Katie. Michael likes what he sees.

Unknown to Katie, the lord has told Darby that he has hired Michael as the new caretaker to replace him, and that he and Katie will have to move to a smaller house.

Darby is at the pub telling another of his stories about the Leprechauns, and the local bully, Pony Sugrue, is listening.

Pony wants the caretaker job and Katie, and likes to make fun of Darby. Darby continues with his story about catching King Brian and forcing him to produce his pot.

King Brian is about a foot (30 cm) tall which means that the pot is huge. It is filled with various types of coins.

Darby gets in to handle the goods producing more views of the coins.

Number 1. - A copy of a Spanish pillar dollar. Number 2. - Coin with a right-facing head similar to Britain's King George III. Number 3. - Coin with a left-facing head similar to a Panama Columbus coin. Number 4. - Another copy of a Spanish pillar dollar Darby heads up a hill to some ancient ruins.

Darby falls into a hole which leads to King Brian's underground kingdom.

Darby enters the land of the little people where a continuous party is going on.

The king shows Darby some of his possessions. The Throne of Fergus mac Leda, ancient High King of all Ireland.

The king identifies it as coming from the Spanish Armada (of 1588).

The Sword of Brian Boru, an ancient king of Ireland. Darby is given a violin and asked to play music for the party. He plays so well that all of the little people saddle up on little horses and ride away, leaving Darby alone to go home. It is still night and the king arrives at Darby's place. Darby has hatched another scheme which requires keeping the king there until morning.

Darby and the king exchange drinks, the king discovers that it is past sunup, and has to give Darby three wishes. In the meantime, Michael and Katie have been seeing each other. Pony attacks Michael with a club, giving Michael another reason not to like him. Michael starts seeing Katie.

Darby hasn't told Katie of the impending move but she finds out and cools her relationship with Michael. Katie heads up a hill to catch the family horse.

Katie takes a fall and is seriously injured, bringing the Banshee or the messenger of death to call.

The Banshee summons the death coach for Katie and Darby asks King Brian to allow him to take her place. Darby enters and rides off in the coach, but Brian, using another trick, kicks him out of the coach. Katie has recovered and things are sorted out about Darby's retirement. Michael is at the pub and sees Pony.

Michael gives Pony a insulting message from King Brian, a few punches are thrown, Pony goes to the floor, and leaves Michael and Katie to ride away together.

Albert Sharpe as Darby O'Gill
Janet Munro as Katie O'Gill
Sean Connery as Michael McBride
Jimmy O'Dea as King Brian
Kieron Moore as Pony Sugrue
Director: Robert Stevenson
Writers: Lawrence Edward Watkin
Based on the 1903 book of stories Darby O'Gill and the Good People by H. T. Kavanagh (Herminie Templeton Kavanagh)