[1] Aboard the ship Belle of Erin bound for Dublin, Ireland, cabin boy Dinty Doyle is assigned by the captain to row to a nearby island to procure a tree for Christmas Eve.

Dinty reluctantly rows to the island to dig up a tree on the beach, as a family of leprechauns observes with interest having not seen a human in two centuries.

As the two wait for their tea to cool Barney tells Dinty of the two clans of leprechauns, the gold mining Kilakarneys and shoe making O'Clogjiggers.

Taking the guise of a guardian angel, Old Mag visits Faye and tells her to convince Barney to give away his gold in order to live happily ever after.

Saint Patrick warns the leprechauns to protect the tree as its removal will allow Old Mag to return with all her powers.

He investigates the sound of crying and finds a woman named Colleen stranded on the beach who claims to have survived a shipwreck.

Dinty builds a fire and lifts Colleen's spirits by telling her of his experiences on the island and his lack of knowledge of what to do with the gold.

Colleen suggests giving the gold to her so she can have the leprechauns build a ship for passage back to Ireland and share the remainder among the people of Killarney.

[3] The songs were written by frequent Rankin/Bass composer Maury Laws with lyrics by Jules Bass who was credited under the pseudonym of Julian P.

[4] ABC reaired the special on December 20, 1983 with subsequent airings from 1985 onward handled by Lorimar Television (since subsumed into Warner Bros.