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Irish have a long and rich history in Canada
dating back centuries. The first recorded Irish
presence in the area of present day Canada dates
from 1536, when Irish fishermen from Cork
travelled to Newfoundland. After the
permanent settlement in Newfoundland by Irish in
early 19th century, overwhelmingly from
Waterford, increased immigration of the Irish
elsewhere in Canada began in the decades
following the War of 1812.
1.2
million Irish immigrants arrived, 1825 to 1970,
at least half of those in the period from
1831–1850. By 1867, they were the second largest
ethnic group (after the French), and comprised
24% of Canada's population. The 1931 national
census counted 1,230,000 Canadians of Irish
descent, half of whom lived in Ontario. About
one-third were Catholic in 1931 and two-thirds
Protestants. Besides Upper Canada (Ontario),
the Maritime colonies of Nova Scotia, Prince
Edward Island and New Brunswick, especially
Saint John, were popular destinations.
During this time, Canada was the destination of
the most destitute Irish Catholics cleared from
land estates and leaving the crowded docks of
Liverpool, numbering in the hundreds of
thousands. However, most Catholic Irish after
1850 usually headed to the United States, due to
better economic prosperity and less British
association of the British Empire. They also
went to England, Australia or New Zealand. |
