Everybody claims to be Irish on St. Patrick's Day but if you live in Springfield you can legitimately claim a little bit of Irish every day.
The influence Irish immigrants had on this area will be one of the topics Colleen Walters will cover Thursday, March 12 in the ongoing edition of the Global Table, "The Art of Irish Cooking."
Walters, of Irish German descent, is a lifelong resident of Springfield and has devoted much of her time studying her heritage. The potato famine in Ireland in the mid 1800s sent millions to the U.S. — and many of those were drawn to Springfield's booming industry, Walters said. The traditions and contributions they made permanently changed the city.
Traditional Irish food, however, did not survive "the homogenization" of blended influences, she said. Two of her favorite authentic dishes— potato-based, of course — will be served at the event, along with little known facts about the Green Isle's potato roots.
The free event begins at 6:30 p.m. in room 105 at Wittenberg University's Shouvlin Center, which incidentally is named after a prominent Irish Springfield family.
For more information, call 937-324-7380.
