We Go Way Back Adventure & Discovery, Emigration & Enterprise

 

 Chapters Common Ground Our Irish Canadian roots are deep. Once part of the super continent Pangaea, geological evidence exists in the rock of Irelands north west coast Brendan the Navigator Irish seafarers have been navigating throughout the North Atlantic long before recorded history. Therefore tales in an early Latin manuscript of St. Brendan landing on the Canadian coast, are possibly much more than myth. L’Anse aux Meadows Norse stories and Irish artifacts found at the Viking settlement of L’Anse aux Meadow suggest that the Irish travelled on Viking vessels to Canada Talamh an Éisc, Land of the Fish Co. Waterford fishermen, harvesting the riches of the Grand Banks, settled in Canada's Atlantic provinces as early as the 16th. c. Many returned regularly to Ireland. Some to have their children baptised in St. Patricks Church. Written records of these baptisms still exist in the Waterford Archives. The Maritime Irish In the 18th. c the Irish were the second largest ethnic population in Canada, outnumbered only by the French Years of Famine & Grosse Isle Stories of courage and heartbreak as thousands of Irish famine victims pass through Canada's quarantine island Québec Irish and the Road South Many French speaking families in Québec trace their heritage to the Irish orphans of Grosse Isle. And The Old Canada Road became a bustling route to the U.S. Moving West: The Palliser Expedition & The RCMP Palliser Lake BC, Palliser Alberta, The Fairmont Palliser Hotel all take their name from the Palliser Expedition 1857 to 1860 led by John Palliser from Co. Waterford. The purpose of the Expedition was to explore and survey the prairies and wilderness of western Canada and identify possible routes for the Canadian Pacific Railway. The NWMP and subsequently the RCMP were based on the Royal Irish Constabulary. Building Canada The Irish in Canada built the railways and the canals, laid the first Transatlantic cable designed the CN Tower! Counties with Canada in common Co. Monaghan is twinned with Prince Edward Island, Peterborough, Ontario and Miramichi New Brunswick. Waterford was built on the cod trade of Newfoundland. Every Irish county has Canadian connections. Business & Pleasure Where are we now and where are we going? Maps, Timeline, Routes & Trails

Talamh an Éisc, Land of the Fish 

This remarkable footage filmed off Newfoundland in the nineteen thirties, apart from some small detail, shows vessels, gear and crew probably unchanged for centuries.

 The Ireland Canada Story The Ireland Canada Story is an adventure full of explorers and entrepreneurs, settlers and statesmen. Some of its chapters are surprising, many are tragic, most are inspiring but all culminate in bonds that are unbreakable. The Ireland Canada Story begins eons ago when Ireland and Canada were once part of Pangea the supercontinent. And for centuries hardy Irish seafarers have navigated the north Atlantic in ox hide currachs or in the longships of the Norsemen. The following is a brief introduction to the chapters of The Ireland Canada Story.