Talamh An Eisc

"Essays ... presented at the 16th International Conference of the Canadian Association for Irish Studies, held at Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, March 16-20, 1983." The general title of the conference was: "Irish Culture from Grattan's Parliament to the Famine and Links with Atlantic Canada."--p. iv.

The Ottawa Valley is a region of Canada straddling the Ottawa River in Ontario and Québec that is well known for its rich singing, storytelling, fiddling and step dancing traditions. Settled largely by the Irish, Scots and the French over the past two hundred years, it had largest concentration of people of Irish origin in Canada by the late 19th century. Travelling through the Valley one gets the sense of coming face to face with the past. While its dramatic history is filled with incidents of extreme hardship and tragedy, the overriding impression is of a triumphant survivalism associated with its strong men of the past; the voyageurs, the coureurs du bois and the lumbermen. The legacy of this unique heritage—from fiddling and step dancing to tales of priests, lumberman, and Orange and Green rivalries—is explored in this book through the voices of Valley people themselves. The author reveals the importance of place and history in the transmission of this vibrant regional culture down to the present day.

In mid-nineteenth-century Canada, the Irish outnumbered the English and Scots two to one. Yet they have been much less studied than their US counterparts, even though their experience was very different. Irish settlers arrived earlier in Canada, formed a larger proportion of the founding communities, and were largely rural-based; more than half were Protestant. The Famine provided only a rather late part of the Irish emigration to Canada, which took place principally between 1816 and 1855. The authors evaluate both emigration and settlement and present as well revealing personal documents about intense, often painful experiences of the settlers. Part I explores the geographical links – particularly the phenomenon of chain migration – that shaped decisions to leave Ireland. Part II examines patterns of settlement in the new land. Part III, with biographies of immigrants and collections of letters written home, chronicles personal and social life in the new land and the abiding interest in family and friends in Canada and back in Ireland. The documents illustrate links and patterns revealed in the earlier analysis of emigration and settlement; they also offer an additional, intimate perspective on a key phase in the cultural history of Canada and Ireland.

In Christianity and Ethnicity in Canada, eleven scholars explore the complex relationships between religious and ethnic identity within the nine major Christian traditions in Canada.

The March Hare Anthology commemorates twenty years of one of Canada1s most successful literary festivals. Blending local and inte ational writers from Canada, Ireland and the world with the cream of Newfoundland and Labrador1s professional musicians, The March Hare is a unique celebration of words and music. This anthology contains the writing of authors such as: Al Pittman Michael Ondaatje Wayne Johnston Lo a Crozier Michael Crummey Lisa Moore John Ennis Michael Winter Be ard O1Donoghue John Steffler Paul Durcan Joan Clarke Alistair MacLeod Be ice Morgan Adrian Fowler1s work has appeared in various magazines and collections of Canadian writing. He was co-editor with Al Pittman of the poetry anthology 31 Newfoundland Poets, published in 1979. He lives in Co er Brook, Newfoundland, where he teaches English at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College.

The population of Ireland is five million, but 70 million people worldwide call themselves Irish. Here, Tim Pat Coogan travels around the globe to tell their story. Irish emigration first began in the 12th century when the Normans invaded Ireland. Cromwell's terrorist campaign in the 17th century drove many Irish to France and Spain, while Cromwell deported many more to the West Indies and Virginia. Millions left due to the famine and its aftermath between 1845 and 1961. Where did they all go? From the memory of the wild San Patricios Brigade soldiers who deserted the American army during the Mexican War to fight on the side of their fellow Catholics to Australia's Irish Robin Hood: Ned Kelly, Coogan brings the vast reaches of the Irish diaspora to life in this collection of vivid and colourful tales. Rich in characterization and detail, not to mention the great Coogan wit, this is an invaluable volume that belongs on the bookshelf of every Celtophile.

The first comprehensive account of the Irish settlers of Prince Edward Island.