The British Isles Historic Society Heritage, History, Traditions & Customs 10-20 October Issue The Great Irish Potato Famine By far, the largest immigration of the Irish to Canada occurred during the mid-19th century. The The Great Irish Potato Famine was a period of Great Irish Potato Famine of 1847 was the cause of mass starvation and disease in Ireland from 1845 to death, mainly from starvation, of over a million Irish. 1849. With the most severely affected areas in the It was also the motivation behind the mass exodus of west and south of Ireland, where the Irish language hundreds of thousands of Irish to North America. was dominant, During the famine, about one million Because passage to Canada was less expensive than people died and a million more emigrated, causing passage to the United States, Canada was the Ireland's population to fall by between 20% and recipient of some of the most destitute and bereft 25%. Irish. The proximate cause of the famine was a The primary destination for most of these ships natural event, a potato blight, which infected potato was the port of Québec and the mandatory stop at crops throughout Europe during the 1840s, also the quarantine island of Grosse Île. By June of 1847, causing some 100,000 deaths outside Ireland and the port of Québec became so overwhelmed, that influencing much of the unrest in the widespread dozens of ships carrying over 14,000 Irish queued for European Revolutions of 1848. days to make landing. It is estimated that almost The famine was a watershed in the history of 5,000 Irish died on Grosse Île and it is known to be Ireland, which from 1801 to 1922 was ruled directly the largest Irish burial ground exclusive of Ireland. by Westminster as part of the United Kingdom of Since then many Irish immigrants have played a Great Britain and Ireland. The famine and its effects major role in the history of our Canadian society. permanently changed the island's demographic, political, and cultural landscape forever. Talamh an Éisc, The national flag of Republic of Ireland Talamh an Éisc, Newfoundland, Land of the Fish (EIRE) Newfoundland is the only (Irish: bratach na hÉireann), frequently place outside Europe with its own distinctive name referred to in Ireland as 'the tricolour' (an in the Irish language. It has been described as the trídhathach) is the national flag and ensign of most Irish place in the world outside of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Presented as a gift in 1848 the Irish have been settling in Newfoundland for to Thomas Francis Meagher from a small group of almost 400 years. French women sympathetic to the Irish cause, it was intended to symbolise the inclusion and hoped-for The first record of a Waterford ship on the union between Roman Catholics (symbolised by the Grand Banks in Newfoundland dates from 1534. green colour) and Protestants (symbolised by the And in 1608 Patrick Brannock, an Waterford orange colour). The significance of the colours seafarer sailed annually to Newfoundland from the outlined by Meagher was, "The white in the centre French port of Bayonne. signifies a lasting truce between Orange and Green Furs were also an and I trust that beneath its folds the hands of Irish attraction and in 1662, an Protestants and Irish Catholics may be clasped in Irish trapper and his native generous and heroic brotherhood". companions were reported The flag was adopted by the Irish to be poaching beaver. Republic during the Irish War of Independence (1919 By the 18th c, –1921). thousands were reported to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Ireland be travelling from Ireland's The Irish Benevolent south east to Newfoundland. Society of B.C. is a non-profit Irish Myths The Harp organization officially incorporated the story behind the and registered in 1996. national symbol Based in Vancouver, British Columbia the main It is said that evil gods purpose of the Irish Benevolent Society is to support stole the first harp from the Dagda, a king in Irish/ Irish culture and provide emergency assistance to Celtic mythology. The lack of music in Ireland caused members of the Irish community. sadness to pass over the country until Dagda turned In 2008, the Irish Benevolent Society of B.C. to art to cheer them up. established the Irish Seniors luncheon program in Eventually the evil gods gave it back to them, the Vancouver Lower Mainland with support and joy returned to the land. This is how the harp through the Irish Government's Emigrant Support became a national icon of Ireland and became Program. This annual lunch is now coordinated by cemented in the folk music tradition of Ireland. the Irish Women's Network of BC. https://www.the-10-most-famous-myths-and-legends-from-irish- https://www.irishwomenbc.net/ folklore/ We get letters: his belongings. He also received an old Eskimo woman’s account of how Franklin’s starving men In the 09-20 September issue of the British died in their tracks as they sought to journey Isles Historic Society, I included a article on Sir southward on foot. The most important evidence Francis Leopold McClintock, “ the Artic Fox” Born: 8 that McClintock recovered was a written record of July 1819, Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, Died: 17 Franklin’s expedition up to April 25, 1848. November 1907 (aged 88) Kensington, London, McClintock ’s account of his journey, England. I have since received the following write up by his Great Granddaughter, Sylvia McClintock. The Voyage of the “Fox” in the Arctic Seas: A Narrative of the Fate of Sir John Franklin and His Dear Joanna Cadman: Companions, was published in 1859, and he was knighted in 1860. He was elected as a Fellow of the c/o The Royal Society of St. George Royal Society (FRS) and was also appointed to KCB by P.O. Box 397, Loughton, U.K. the Queen. (From Encyclopedia Britannica) Sir Francis Leopold I am one of the great grandchildren of Sir McClintock, (born July 8, Francis Leopold McClintock 1819, Dundalk, County Louth, On Sir John Franklin’s expedition, his second in Ireland.—died Nov. 17, 1907, command was Capt. Francis Crozier from Banbridge, London, England.), British naval Co. Down. His nephew George Crozier married officer and explorer who McClintock’s younger sister, Emily Anna Foster discovered the tragic fate of the McClintock in 1857 at St George’s, Dublin, Ireland British explorer Sir John Franklin and his 1845 Sir John Franklin’s 3rd in command was Capt. expedition to the North American Arctic. James Fitzjames. Very little was known about him Before his own successful search of 1857–59, until William Battersby, who died recently, McClintock took part in three earlier efforts to find researched his life & wrote a book “James Fitzjames, Franklin. On the second and third of these (1850–51 Mystery Man of the Franklin Expedition” and and 1852–54), his improvements in the planning and discovered that he was the illegitimate son of Sir execution of sledge journeys greatly advanced the James Gambier, 1772-1844, Consul-General in the possibilities of Arctic exploration. Netherlands. His half-brother, William Gambier, The first information suggesting that Franklin’s 1802-1860, is my 3rd great grandfather on my party had perished around King William Island, now mother’s side. in Canada’s Northwest Territories, was obtained Written By Sylvia McClintock from Eskimo in 1854. When the British government London U.K., Aug 30th. 2020 refused to equip another search expedition, Franklin’s widow equipped the Fox, with McClintock in command. (He had been on three previous expeditions & was appointed on the More Relics Salvaged by McClintock recommendation of the Prince Consort). Photo published in: Illustrated London News He found the graves of some of Franklin’s crew Date: 15 October 1859 as well as remains from Franklin’s ships and some of other team's goals (3 points) or between two upright posts above the goals and over a crossbar 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) above the ground (1 point). Vancouver Irish Sporting Players advance the football, a spherical leather ball resembling a volleyball, up the field with and Social Club of Vancouver a combination of carrying, bouncing, kicking, hand-passing, and soloing (dropping the ball and Gaelic Games then toe-kicking the ball upward into the hands). In The Irish Sporting and Social Club was formed the game, two types of scores are possible: points in 1974 with the aim of bringing the local Irish and goals. A point is awarded for kicking or community together socially and to promote the hand-passing the ball over the crossbar, signalled by games of Gaelic Football, Hurling and Camogie. the umpire raising a white flag. A goal is awarded for Today, the GAA club is a blend of Irish kicking the ball under the crossbar into the net, immigrants, second generation Irish descendants, signalled by the umpire raising a green flag. Canadians and other nationalities. Positions in Gaelic football are similar to those The club runs a number of successful teams in other football codes, and comprise one including the Vancouver Harps and Vancouver Celts goalkeeper, six backs, two midfielders, and six Men’s and Ladies Gaelic Football Teams and the JP forwards, with a variable number of substitutes. Ryan’s Hurling and Camogie teams. Gaelic football is one of four sports The ISSC continues to promote and support (collectively referred to as the "Gaelic games") Irish cultural and sporting events in Greater controlled by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Vancouver, and are always welcoming new the largest sporting organisation in Ireland.