Quebec and the Irish
Source: The City of Québec and the Défilé de la Saint-Patrick de Québec
According to certain sources, almost 40 % of the population of Quebec is of Irish descent. While it is almost impossible to confirm this figure, one thing is certain: the bonds between the city and its Irish population are close, deep and firmly rooted.
The Irish presence in Quebec is especially evident after 1816 when lots of Irish settled in the city. In the 1830s, they landed on the docks in their thousands. This massive immigration movement culminated in 1847, the worst year of the Great Famine that was raging throughout Ireland at the time. Over 90,000 immigrants, most of them Irish, subsequently made the Atlantic crossing to the port of Quebec. But about 17,000 of them were suffering from typhus, and they died at sea, at Grosse Île quarantine station or in the cities of Quebec and Montreal, where the epidemic was to spread.
In this period, the Irish found work in the lumber coves of the Québec City region, often loading ships departing for Britain. They settled in the areas of Cap Diamant, Prés-de-Ville (the part of Champlain Street below the Citadel), the Saint-Jean and Saint-Louis suburbs, in Beauport, Cap Rouge and especially in Sillery, where, in 1861, they formed the majority of the population.
The Irish of Québec City participated fully in the city’s development. In the fullness of time, they could be found in the commercial trades, trade unions, the press, the professions, the business world, politics, sports and cultural activities. There was also a lot of intermarriage with the local population: a mixing that profoundly changed the city’s social makeup. Today, many Quebecers have Irish roots, often hidden under French surnames.
Indeed, it goes without saying that the contribution of the Irish community to Quebec culture is significant. Therefore, Quebec city’s St. Patrick’s Day are a great opportunity to come together and celebrate this longstanding friendship!
