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The Irish have been a big demographic force all over this country and at confederation were already the second biggest ethnic group after French Canadians. They heavily settled all areas of Eastern Canada, but specific areas of settlement were, The Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland, the St. Lawrence Valley, the Ottawa valley, the Miramichi valley, PEI, Nova Scotia, and Toronto, although the community was disproportionately protestant in that locale. The Avalon probably has the most Irish character in Canada today.
Yeah the previous minister for immigration came to Dublin a year ago and advertised Canada as a good relocation prospect. He mentioned that Ireland has a longer history of emigration with Canada with the US. I didn't know that! Though I doubt he would have if a researcher/academic/historian hadn't told him lol. It looks like Irish are coming back to Canada thick and fast once again. Though, from the immigration statistics that I seen, Europeans as a whole form a tiny proportion of your immigration. I think it was about 11% or so?
I'm heading to Vancouver myself in a few weeks and read in the history that Irish, Scottish and English were the original (modern) settlers.
Are there Irish neighborhoods in Toronto and Montreal?
In Montreal there was, I don't know Toronto well enough to say although too much, although I remember that Cabbagetown began as a working class Irish neighbourhood in the mid 19th century, so named because the newcomers were poor and grew cabbages in their front yards. In Montreal the most important Irish neighbourhood was Griffintown, which up until about five years ago when redevelopment began in ernest was still working class and about half Irish. Today, in both cities, the Irish have been here so long that they've blended into, and married into, the larger community so much that there isn't much in the way of real Irish neighbourhoods anymore, just historical ones. Fun fact: Montreal's St. Patrick's Day parade is the longest continually celebrated parade in North America. It's been celebrated every year since 1824, and St. Patrick's day has been celebrated in the city since Irish troops in the Montreal Garrison first celebrated it in 1759 following the conquest of New France.
In Montreal there was, I don't know Toronto well enough to say although too much, although I remember that Cabbagetown began as a working class Irish neighbourhood in the mid 19th century, so named because the newcomers were poor and grew cabbages in their front yards. In Montreal the most important Irish neighbourhood was Griffintown, which up until about five years ago when redevelopment began in ernest was still working class and about half Irish. Today, in both cities, the Irish have been here so long that they've blended into, and married into, the larger community so much that there isn't much in the way of real Irish neighbourhoods anymore, just historical ones. Fun fact: Montreal's St. Patrick's Day parade is the longest continually celebrated parade in North America. It's been celebrated every year since 1824, and St. Patrick's day has been celebrated in the city since Irish troops in the Montreal Garrison first celebrated it in 1759 following the conquest of New France.
While parades honouring St.Patrick have been happening on the North American continent dating back to at least the early 1800's; as mentioned above, Ireland only made it an official holiday in 1903 with the very first parade occurring in Dublin Ireland in 1931.
Another anecdotal tid-bit as told to me by one of the owners of Hurley's. On Crescent Street. Guiness sent a rep over to verify they weren't selling product out the back door because they were moving more gallonage than bigger pubs in Ireland. While on expense account and prepping for retirement, I used to put a twist up the company's accounting skirts by ordering shots of Macallan's 27 year old at $50.00 a shot in that pub. :: Hurley's Irish Pub ::
I wonder if you will find Irish pubs in Quebec where Irish songs are sung in French.
I am not aware of any Irish folk songs that would be sung in French.
Most Irish pubs in Quebec, if they play Irish music, would play it as elsewhere in the world, in English. But like most places in North America, most of the pubs and bars that claim to be Irish tend to play mostly non-Irish music anyway (except for around March 17), and so you hear stuff like Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison (who is Irish), but also stuff like Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seger or any other classic rock songs, and sometimes even contemporary dance music played by a DJ.
True Irish pubs that are fully Irish in music and atmosphere all year long are quite rate in Quebec, and are even fairly rare in the rest of Canada.
Another point is that Quebec folk music (in French of course) tends to have a lot of Irish influences. I think I have posted several examples on here at various times.
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