First Irish soldiers settled
After the British conquest of New France, Irish soldiers settled in the Canadian colonies.
The story of Irish emigration is often told through the great wave that left for the United States. Yet Canada was also one of the main ports of arrival for exiles from the Emerald Isle. For many, this still young country represented the hope of a new life, far from famine and poverty. But this crossing was also one of the most dramatic in the history of the Atlantic, with thousands of deaths and untold suffering.
Today, the legacy of these migrations is deeply embedded in Canadian society. From family names to cultural traditions, from memorials to family stories, Ireland has left its mark on Canada.
Long before the Great Famine, Ireland had already sent its children to Canada. As soon as the British conquered New France in 1763, Irish soldiers serving in British regiments settled in the North American colonies. Some were demobilized and given land, quickly integrating into the local population.
In the XVIIIᵉ century, Protestant settlers from Ulster also migrated to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. These pioneers, often farmers, sought to reproduce a rural way of life, while paving the way for a more massive diaspora to follow.
The event that turned everything upside down was the Great Famine of 1845-1852. Potato disease wiped out the Irish peasantry’s main food crop. Within a few years, over a million people died of starvation and two million left the island.
Canada, a British colony, became a favored destination. Ticket prices were lower than in the U.S., attracting poorer families. But this choice came at a terrible price.
The ships used to transport the migrants were nicknamed “coffin ships”. The crossing lasted more than six weeks, in appalling conditions: extreme overcrowding, spoiled food, contaminated water and rampant disease. Typhus, dysentery and scurvy decimated the passengers. Entire families died at sea, sometimes thrown overboard in the anonymity of the ocean.
In 1847, considered the black year, nearly 100,000 Irish embarked for Canada. An appalling proportion did not survive.
At the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, near Quebec City, a small island became infamous: Grosse Île. Since 1832, it had served as a quarantine station for immigrants to prevent the spread of epidemics. But in 1847, faced with the influx of sick Irish, the island was quickly overwhelmed.
Thousands of migrants died in inhuman conditions. Makeshift hospitals were overcrowded, doctors overworked, priests and volunteers powerless. It is estimated that over 5,000 Irish perished on Grosse Île that year, not counting subsequent deaths in Quebec City and Montreal.
Today, the island has become a national place of remembrance. A huge Celtic cross stands as a reminder of the sacrifice of these migrants. For many Irish descendants, it’s a place of pilgrimage where the pain of the past meets pride in identity.
While the tragedy was immense, the reception given to the survivors was often compassionate. French-Canadian families took in Irish orphans. Many were raised in Quebec culture, sometimes to the point of losing their original language and religion, but in time they integrated into society.
In the countryside, the Irish settled as farmers. In the cities, they became laborers, dockworkers or artisans. Tensions were not absent, particularly in Montreal, where competition for jobs led to conflicts with other immigrant communities. But overall, integration was rapid and lasting.
The Irish played an active role in building modern Canada. They were present at major construction sites, such as the Rideau Canal and the railroad lines linking the East with the rest of the country.
On the political front, several Irish statesmen left their mark on Canadian history. Their influence was felt in debates on education, religion, minority representation and the defense of workers’ rights.
On the cultural front, the Irish diaspora brought its traditions, music and celebrations, foremost among them St. Patrick’s Day, which has become a popular festival throughout the country.
Today, it is estimated that around 15% of the Canadian population has Irish origins. This impressive figure reflects the depth of the bond between the two nations.
Monuments to this past can be found across Canada: the Celtic cross on Grosse Île, Montreal’s Black Rock erected in memory of typhus victims, and commemorative plaques in churches.
The memory of Irish emigration is not just a story of suffering. It is also the story of a collective rebirth, that of a people who, after losing everything, helped to build a new nation.
After the British conquest of New France, Irish soldiers settled in the Canadian colonies.
The island became the main sanitary checkpoint for immigrants arriving via the Atlantic.
Tens of thousands of Irish left the island, many choosing Canada as a more affordable destination.
Nearly 100,000 Irish arrive in Canada, and thousands die of typhus on board ship or on Grosse Île.
The Irish took part in major construction projects, created parishes and established themselves in Canadian society.
Some 15% of Canadians have Irish ancestors. The memory is honored with memorials and cultural festivals.
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