The Irish

By the year 1800, and even slightly beFore, there were small numbers oFIrish immigrants on this Island. However, From 1810 and continuing For the next Forty years immigrants From Ireland kept coming to P.E.l. in significant numbers.

From 1810 to 1830 these Irish settlers came mainly From the southeastern counties oF Kilkenny, WaterFord, WexFord and Tipperary. Once here, they put down roots in various parts oFthe Island.

In 1830 a group oFsome 200 immigrants arrived together, accompanied by Fatherjohn MacDonald, a native oFTracadie

and son oFlandlord Captainjohn MacDonald.

12 0 WHO CAME?

Memorial to Iris/.7 Settlers, 2001.

Mainly From County Monaghan, these new arrivals established homesteads on Father John’s lands in the Fort Augustus area.

Over the next twenty years many more Irish immigrants arrived on P.E.l. Most oF these were From County Monaghan, as well as From the other northern counties oFArmagh and Tyrone. Some oF these settled on the remaining

lands oFFatherJohn while others moved to diFFerent areas, particularly to Kelly’s Cross, Lot 65 and Kinl<ora.

By 1850 the Irish influx eFFectiver ended. In all it was a large immigration with a census oF1848 showing nearly 6,500 Irish—born settlers living on P.E.l. Two thirds oFthese were in Queens County with the other one third equally spread out into Prince and Kings Counties.

There were good reasons For leaving Ireland: poor economic conditions, some crop Failures, dispossession oFtheir land, penal laws against Catholics and deprivation oF many rights and opportunities. Most oF those who came here could be classed as poor but none were destitute. Almost all came out beFore the Great Famine and although they came From every county in Ireland, the Monaghans were the largest single county

group.

In 2001, roughly 200 years aFter the arrival oF the first Irish immigrants, a beautiFul Irish Settlers Memorial was erected on the Charlottetown waterFront Facing the harbour mouth through which most oFthe immigrants landed. The Memorial’s main attraction is the Celtic Cross, as well as a set oF32 flagstones, one From each county oF Ireland.

Ctzrzlimz/ Alain/gm