1. Quebec’s Aid to Ireland.
- Author
-
Strum, Harvey
- Subjects
ENDOWMENTS ,SOCIAL services ,IMMIGRANTS ,FOOD shortages ,FUNDRAISING - Abstract
The people of Quebec aided Ireland during the Great Hunger in 1847, food shortages of the 1860s, and the Little Famine in 1880. Quebec was part of Canada’s entry into international philanthropy. Canadian historians emphasized the impact of famine immigrants in Quebec and British North America in 1846-47, and proposals to send starving Irish to Canada in 1880. There were extensive efforts from Halifax to Winnipeg in 1880 to aid the Irish. This essay focuses on the major fundraising efforts in Quebec, especially Montreal and Quebec, as well as in other communities like Sherbrooke where the bishop sent out an appeal in French to every church in his diocese. What added to the visibility of aid for Ireland was the visit of Irish nationalist, Charles Stewart Parnell, to Toronto and Montreal in early March 1880 who brought out record crowds to hear him plead the cause of famishing Ireland. People of all ethnicities and religious denominations joined this non-partisan and ecumenical movement of the people of Quebec helping the Irish. To quote the St. Patrick’s Society, ”your Council will further bear testimony to the generosity displayed by the citizens of Quebec and surrounding parishes, irrespective of nationality or religion, in contributing to the Irish relief Fund.” (Quebec Mercury, 2 March 1880). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023