PART II EMIGRANT PERSPECTIVE
“It was in 1817 that the first Irish Catholics began appearing within the city’s records and on March 17 th , 1824, the Right Honorable Michael Sullivan… Chief Justice of Lower Canada organized the first St Patrick’s Day Parade in Montreal.” The parade was considered a huge success “as it brought together the Irish elite and reflected the cordiality between Protestants and Catholics.” (ref, City Montreal). The Irish merged smoothly with Montreal society until disturbed by the large incursion of diseased, poverty stricken Irish during the Famine - a common concern for North America communities at that time.
Fig. 31. The Port of Montreal Historian John Irwin Cooper stated …. “The history of Irish Montreal is pretty well summed up in its churches”. Prior to the Famine, an Irish Catholic church had been approved in 1841, construction began in 1843, and St Patrick’s Church was completed by St Patrick’s Day 1847. This solid edifice symbolized Irish permanence in the community, was a center for support during the stressful period of the Great Famine and became a welcoming beacon for Irish emigrants to Montreal later in the 19 th century. Montreal’s reputation was well established since the 18 th century as a base for Canadian fur-trade Voyageurs , who travelled annually from Lachine via the Ottawa River to Grand Portage on Lake Superior. Its importance increased with improved waterborne transportation systems, becoming a major shipping hub for expanding exports from Canada West and the US Great Lake region. In 1844 Montreal became the seat of government of the Province of Canada, and by 1860, it was the largest municipality in BNA and considered the undisputed
131
Copyright John Sutton 2025 All Rights Reserved
Powered by FlippingBook