Newswise — Believe it or not, there's more to St. Patrick's Day than green beer and bar specials.
From discussing Celtic music and legendary Irish creatures to searching Irish genealogy and biographical information on St. Patrick, Texas Tech University experts can answer your questions about the Emerald Isle. For more information, visit experts.ttu.edu.
John Howe, professor in the Department of History, knows that the lore and legends surrounding one of Christianity's most recognizable saints can make discovering the real St. Patrick difficult. He can separate the biographical fact from embellished fiction. Brian McFadden, associate professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences, can speak about leprechauns. He can relate numerous legends of the mischievous creatures, as well as the origins of their name. McFadden can describe why society creates stories of such creatures, what roles they play in teaching morality, and what they represent for Irish culture.
John McGlone, professor of animal and food sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences, can speak about genealogy and his personal genealogical search for his Irish ancestors. He can offer advice on conducting a search for ancestors in other countries. Also, he can discuss Irish holidays and their histories, what it means to be Irish in America, and some of the common stereotypes Irish people have to face.
Christopher Smith, associate professor of musicology and director of the Texas Tech Celtic ensemble in the School of Music, can discuss how Celtic music, a rich piece of Irish culture, is passed down through many different generations as a form of oral history.
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