fairies, banshees, and leprechauns
A banshee IS a fairy - 'bean sidhe', it means fairy woman. But the fairies of Ireland are not cute little things with wings and floaty dresses. They are more like another race of people, a supernatural race with whom we share the land. The story is that there was a great battle between us a long time ago and we finally agreed to share the place and not interfere with each other.
I really can't see an issue with it. I think that to deny the possibility of their existence is a lot stranger.
Ireland has brought whiskey, the water of life, to this world,
Actually that was the Irish monks :) and don't forget the Book of Kells.
But I love England.