WARP - Empire Strikes Back

[eloiseherisson at aol.com]

Rincewind:
> Sorry to disapoint you but McGonagall is an Irish name therefore I would 
assume that the >Transfiguration teacher is Irish

Hmm.

You know, the Oxford Names Companion doesn't list the name, curiously, at 
least not it that form. The nearest is McGonigle (var.: McGonagle) which, as you 
say is Irish.

However, I have always assumed that Minerva's name was derived from that of 
the the eccentric Scottish poet, William McGonagall (of _The Tay Bridge 
Disaster_ fame).

http://www.mcgonagall-online.org.uk/index.shtml

Moreover, at The Yule Ball, Professor McGonagall is described as wearing 
dress robes of red tartan, with a rather ugly wreath of thistles around the brim 
of her hat. I had always taken this as further indication that she was 
Scottish.

~Eloise


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