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Irish Fun for St. Patrick's Day: the History of St. Patrick, Leprechaun Lore, Celtic Music and More
Believe it or not, there’s more to St. Patrick’s Day than green beer and bar specials.
The Leprechaun: Shoemaker and Mythological Conscience
Though the leprechaun is a popular cultural figure, there is a lot about him that people don’t know.
Whether everyone’s after his Lucky Charms or he’s the mascot of the Fighting Irish at Notre Dame, few Irish creatures are more popular than the famous leprechaun.
But the green-dressed, cheerful leprechauns abundant in society today are not the original leprechauns of legends, said Brian McFadden, assistant professor of English at Texas Tech University. The original leprechauns were more like shy elfish or fairy creatures, and they wore brown, green, tan or red clothes --the colors of nature.
"Leprechauns are mischievous little sprites,” McFadden says. “They’re fun creatures, but they don’t trust humans. They horde gold, they’re into shoemaking, they might play the occasional little trick on people. But they sort of shun humankind. They don’t like us. They think we are greedy and warlike. They think we are always after their pot of gold.”
More >>Generations of Celtic Music and Dance
Celtic music, a rich piece of Irish culture, is passed down through many different generations as a form of oral history.
Christopher Smith, associate professor of musicology and director of the Texas Tech Celtic ensemble, says Celtic music has been around for centuries because of the rich tradition it holds.
“Passing down music to younger generations is much like passing down an heirloom,” Smith said. “For many years people have been collecting the different folk songs and sharing them with others along the way.”
The term Celtic represents a family of languages. There are seven Celtic nations including Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, Galicia, and the Isle of Man. Three key Irish instruments are the fiddle, the timber flute and the Uilleann bagpipe or “elbow” bagpipe.
History Expert Reveals Blarney in St. Patrick’s Biography
Who was Saint Patrick, really?
Think St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland?
Think he was Irish?
Some people do, said John Howe, a professor the Department of History at Texas Tech University. But that’s hardly surprising when one considers the bigger-than-life legends this patron saint of Ireland produces.
Following in his Ancestor’s Footprints
One professor traces his family back to Ireland and reveals what it means to be Irish.
Though many people can say that one or more of their ancestors were Irish, usually they never bother to find out more about their Irish roots.
For John McGlone, professor of animal and food sciences, knowing he is Irish just wasn’t enough. He wanted to find out more about his ancestors and truly recognize his Irish heritage.