Irish Canadian The Irish In Canada The Irish Benevolent Society

Irish Canadians are people of Irish descent living in Canada. Irish Canadians live across the country, and most have mixed ancestry; in fact, a very sizeable portion of Canada's population (12.9%) identify themselves as of Irish descent.

1 The Irish in Canada

The Irish have a long and rich history in Canada dating back centuries. However, the majority of Irish people arrived in Canada shortly before, during, and shortly after the Irish potato famine in the mid 19th century. During this time, Canada was the destination of the poorest and the most destitute Irish people. This was because the fare to Canada was much lower than those to the United States of America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Many Irish immigrants destined for Upper Canada (now Ontario) arrived in Grosse-Île an island in present day Quebec (then called Lower Canada). Thousands of dying Irishmen and women were treated in the hospital (equipped for less than one hundred patients) in the summer of 1847; in fact, many boats that reached Grosse-Île had lost the bulk of their passengers and crew, and many more died in Quarantine on and near the island.

Unlike the in the US and UK, the Irish in Canada mainly settled in rural areas and not the cities, but there were many exceptions (especially in Quebec and Newfoundland, see below for more information). The Irish in Canada still faced a large amount of racismRacism refers to beliefs, practices, and institutions that negatively discriminate against people based on their perceived or ascribed race. Sometimes the term is also used to describe the belief that race is the primary determinant of human capacities, o and persecution largely because of the Fenian BrotherhoodFounding of The Fenian Brotherhood The Fenian Brotherhood was an Irish-American revolutionary secret society, founded in the United States by John O'Mahony in 1858. O'Mahony, who was a Celtic scholar, named his organization after the Fianna, the legendary's attacks on Canada (then known as British North AmericaBritish North America originally comprised all British colonies and territories on the North American continent, from Georgia to Labrador and Rupert's Land. It stood in contrast to Russian North America ( Alaska and parts of California) and to Spanish Nor. The Irish-Canadian community largely condemned these attacks, and in 1868, a prominent anti-Fenian Irish-Canadian, Thomas D'Arcy McGeeThomas D'Arcy McGee ( April 13, 1825- April 7, 1868) was a Canadian journalist and politician. Sometimes simply known as D'Arcy McGee, he was born on April 13, 1825 in Carlingford, Ireland. In 1843 at age 17 he emigrated to the United States where he foun, was assassinated in OttawaThis article is about the capital city of Canada. For other meanings see Ottawa (disambiguation). City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada ( In Detail) ( In Detail) Motto: Advance Ottawa/Ottawa en avant Area: 2,778. Population Total (2001) Cdn. CD Rank: Cdn. Rank: uniting all Canadians against the Fenian Army.

After Confederation, Irish Catholics faced more oppression because of their faith rather than their race. This was especially true in the mainly Protestant cities of Ontario, which were under the sway of the anti-Catholic Orange Order.

2 The Irish Benevolent Society

In 1877, a breakthrough in Irish Canadian Protestant-Catholic relations occurred in London, Ontario. This was the founding of the Irish Benevolent Society, a brotherhood of Irishmen and women of both Catholic and Protestant faiths. The society promoted Irish Canadian culture, but it was forbidden for members to speak of Irish politics when meeting. This companionship of Irish people of all faiths quickly tore down the walls of sectarianism in Ontario. Today, the Society is still operating.

3 The Irish in Quebec

Main article: Irish Quebecers

After the disaster at Grosse-Île (see above), many Irish children were left as orphans in a new country. These children were adopted mainly by French speakers in Lower Canada. These children fought for their right to keep their Irish surnames, and were largely successful. Today, many households in Quebec hold an Irish name.

4 The Irish in Prince Edward Island

For years, Prince Edward Island has been divided between Irish Catholics and British Protestants. In the latter half of the 20th Cantury, this sectarianism diminished and was ultimately destroyed recently when the Catholic and Protestant school boards were merged into one secular institution.

5 The Irish in Newfoundland

Unlike in Ontario, in Newfoundland Irish Catholics settled in the cities (mainly St. John's, while British Protestants settled in small fishing communities. Over time, the Irish Catholics became wealthier than their Protestant neighbours, which gave incentive for Protestant Newfoundlanders to join the Orange Order. After the Dominion of Newfoundland collapsed in 1934, the area reverted to colonial status. In 1948, a referendum was held in Newfoundland as to where the colony was headed; the Irish Catholics mainly supported independence for Newfoundland, while the Protestants mainly supported joining the Canadian Confederation. Newfoundland then joined Canada, and both communities prospered.

As in Prince Edward Island, the sectarian school system has recently been abolished for a secular one, and Newfoundlanders today are united against such hardships as the closure of the East Coast Fishery.

6 See Also

7 External link

The Irish in Canada

<Hide>

Home > Irish Canadian