St. Patrick's Day is on Friday, March 17 and its loom has got me thinking about my own distant Irish heritage.
This year, I've been looking for ways to get in touch with my Irish side, so I actually turned to the A.I. chatbot ChatGPT for advice on activities to try for St. Paddy's.
And, the answers were surprisingly insightful.
But, before that, some background on me. I would consider my ancestry a mixed bag, like a lot of white Canadians.
My maternal grandparents are both from Scotland, with my paternal grandmother having Scandinavian roots. However, there is some Irish in there too.
My maternal grandfather's grandmother and great-grandfather were Irish and I've been told that, somewhere down the line, my paternal grandfather's side is also Irish — although "Wheeler" is a pretty Anglo last name.
Tristan's grandfather explaining his Irish heritage.Tristan Wheeler | Narcity
So, I figured what better time to reconnect with my Hibernian ancestors than around St. Patrick's Day, and what better way than using cutting-edge, free-to-use artificial intelligence?
I explained my ancestry to ChatGPT and asked, "Can you suggest a list of activities that will get me more in touch with my distant Irish heritage this St. Patrick's Day?"
And the bot gave me a bunch of great ideas. For example, it suggested I cook traditional Irish food like shepherd's pie, corned beef and cabbage.
It also recommended I take in Irish culture by listening to music by Irish bands and artists, watching TV shows and movies made in or about Ireland, and reading Irish books.
It even taught me some phrases in Gaelic, albeit, two very entry-level words. But, thanks to ChatGPT I can now say "Dia dhuit" which is a common greeting and "Sláinte!" which is a way of saying "cheers."
I'm feeling Irish already!
Of course, I did ask about the stereotypical St. Patrick's day activities such as drinking green beer or Irish whisky, and it provided some sage advice and an interesting fact check.
"While drinking green beer on St. Patrick's Day has become a popular tradition, it is not necessarily a part of Irish culture or heritage," said ChatGPT." In fact, it is not typically consumed in Ireland."
And, according to Mashed, that's correct.
On the topic of whisky, ChatGPT said, "Irish whiskey is certainly a part of Irish culture and heritage, and it can be enjoyed in moderation as part of your St. Patrick's Day celebration."
However, it did draw extra attention to moderation.
"Keep in mind that excessive alcohol consumption is not a healthy or safe way to celebrate your heritage. So if you do choose to drink Irish whiskey, please do so responsibly and in moderation."
Okay fine! If you really think so ChatGPT...
All in all, I was actually really surprised by the depth of some of the answers that the A.I. gave, especially given this is my first time using it.
And if you don't mind me, I'll be singing "Danny Boy" and drinking Guinness on the big day — in moderation of course!
Happy St. Patrick's Day, Canada!
