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Irish gifts go beyond good beer

| March 15, 2018 1:00 AM

It’s almost Patricks’ Day (no, that’s not a typo) — time for corned beef stewed in Irish stout (this “poor man’s” dinner is mostly an American tradition), and shepherd’s pie (that’s more Irish).

Break out the green hats and three-leafed shamrocks (clover has four).

Much as we Americans love all things Irish, our affection is fraught with stereotype. Always the drink. Irish jokes? Show me one without imagery of a drunken Gael.

Irish contributions are greater than Guinness. Their “gift of gab” includes a long list of literary talents, such as Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, and George Bernard Shaw.

Irish creativity led to some sober inventions, too:

Boyle’s Law. Chemist Robert Boyle didn’t stop with ratios of gas pressure and volume; he discovered methanol — key to everyday items such as plastic bottles, car components, and the fleece jacket in your closet.

Color photography and cancer. Ireland’s prolific John Joly invented the meldometer, which measures mineral melting points, the steam calorimeter, which measures heat, the photometer for light intensity (plus color photos from a single plate), and the use of radiation to treat cancer.

Calls and Kelvin. Kelvin Thomson established the first transatlantic telegraph cable; this earned him knighthood. His thermodynamics work led to the “Kelvin Scale,” which measures temperature.

Cure for leprosy. Vincent Barry was researching tuberculosis when he discovered compound B663, curing 15 million of leprosy.

Boats and “battle buggies.” John Holland invented the first submarine launched in 1881 called Fenian Ram. While others were later credited with the final versions, the early armored vehicle was designed in Dublin in 1911, commissioned by Churchill.

Ejector seats and whirly birds. Adopted by the Royal Air Force, the first aircraft ejector seat was designed by Irishman Sir James Martin. The first helicopter was by Irish-born Louis Brennan (who moved to Australia after the famine). Brennan also invented a guided torpedo and a monorail.

“An Irishman’s heart is nothing but his imagination.” — George Bernard Shaw

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Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network who dreams of returning to Ireland. Sholeh@cdapress.com