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Interview on Whispers In The Dark with Viktor Aurelius, Episode #67, March 2013. (podcast)

Mike Gillikin

My last name is Gillikin and I always wondered why the author of the Wizard of Oz chose this name for the people of the North?

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November 24, 2015 at 6:50 PM

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- Tarl
  
  Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. You bring up an excellent question. My research shows that “Gillikin” is a variant of the Irish Gilligan. L. Frank Baum was interested in all things Irish. To me, his folklore and fairy tales are natural relatives of old Irish folklore and legends. I can’t offer a definitive explanation why he chose Gillikin for the people in the northern country of Oz, but I do believe that it sounds Irish, providing atmosphere for his stories.
  
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  November 24, 2015 at 7:03 PM
  
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