The Government of Canada commemorates the Irish tragedy of 1847 at Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site

SAINT-ANTOINE-DE-L'ISLE-AUX-GRUES, QC, July 6, 2022 /CNW/ - Our government wants to ensure that all Canadians have the opportunity to learn more about our national history because it is important that they know the national historic people, places and events that contributed to our country's rich and varied heritage.

Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Québec, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, participated in a ceremony commemorating the 175^th anniversary of the Irish tragedy of 1847 at Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site.

The tragic events of 1847 on Grosse Île are associated to the Great Irish Famine, which constitutes one of the most important moments in Ireland's history, a pivotal and traumatic period. Fleeing famine, more than 100,000 left Ireland in boats unsuitable for transporting passengers and arrived at the Grosse Île quarantine station weakened by malnutrition and starvation, many were ill, victims of typhus. The facilities are struggling to meet demand. The toll is grim: more than 5,000 deaths at sea, 5,424 graves on Grosse Île and thousands of deaths in various Canadian cities.

The ceremony was to honour the victims' memory and also to applaud the courage and perseverance of the island staff who assisted the sick. It is also an occasion to highlight the social and cultural legacy of the Irish in Canadian society today.

Mr. Eamonn McKee, Ambassador of Ireland, and Mrs. Christine Loth-Bown, Vice President of Indigenous Affairs and Cultural Heritage at Parks Canada, also participated in the ceremony. In addition, a number of Irish Heritage Quebec representatives made the trip to take part in this day of commemoration and reflection.

The ceremony took place near the Irish Cemetery, where 47 new Celtic crosses were erected, replacing those installed in the 1960s. Dignitaries had the opportunity to lay a wreath at the foot of the crosses to pay their respects to those who perished in the tragedy. Flowers were also laid at the foot of the doctors' monument to recognize the contributions and sacrifices of the quarantine station staff.

Quotes

"Canadian history and heritage include significant incidents such as the Irish tragedy of 1847. It is important to commemorate these events, as we do today, so that present and future generations can learn more about them and understand how they contributed to the development of the Canada we know today."

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, 
Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Québec

"The national historic sites administered by Parks Canada, such as Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site, tell important stories that reflect Canada's rich and diverse heritage. Commemorating the 175^th anniversary of the Irish tragedy of 1847 is an opportunity for Canadians to learn more about our history, and to better understand the events in our past and what has shaped the Canadian community today."

Christine Loth-Bown, 
Vice President, Indigenous Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Parks Canada Agency

Grosse Ile represents the triumph of Canadian compassion over the callous indifference of colonial rule in Ireland. The numbers of desperate Irish refugees fleeing starvation at home often outnumbered the resident populations along the St Lawrence River. Yet whether doomed to die or restored to health, the desperate Irish refugees from the Great Famine at home found here care and respect. They learned they had a home here in Canada. Canadians learned the value of self-government over the perils of colonial rule. On this hallowed ground, we remember these truths.

Eamonn McKee, 
Ambassador of Ireland

Quick Facts

• The tragic events of 1847 on Grosse Île are associated with the Great Irish Famine, one of the most important chapters in Irish history—a pivotal and traumatic time. 
• In 1847, the Grosse-Île station received nearly 100,000 immigrants while the average number of newcomers in previous years had been 25,000 to 30,000. The vast majority of these immigrants were Irish.
• The conditions on the ships and an epidemic of typhus took a grim toll: more than 5,000 deaths at sea, 5,424 burials on Grosse Île and thousands of deaths in various Canadian cities.
• Today, Grosse Île is considered, both in Ireland and in the Irish diaspora, as the sacred ground on which stands the Celtic Cross, a monument erected in 1909 to commemorate this sad event.

Related Links

• Parks Canada website
• Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site website
• Parks Canada Mobile Apps

SOURCE Parks Canada

Kimberly Labar, Communications and Public Relations Officer, Parks Canada, Québec Field Unit, 418-648-4444, [email protected]; Media Relations, Parks Canada Agency, 855-862-1812, [email protected]