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Irish Canadian COMMUNITY Past and present

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Intro The Irish Community has been around in Canada for many years. They live all across Canada and they have embraced our culture. This presentation is all about the Irish community, past, turning point and present. Enjoy!

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Past/Irish Traditions and Superstitions The Irish had many traditions and superstitions. Many of them we still know about today. Such as the popular, if you break a mirror youll have 7 years of bad luck. During Irish Christmas, then when it snowed the children were told that geese were being plucked from heaven. At Christmas time men were in charge of cleaning everything outside of the house, and women were in charge of cleaning everything inside the house until it was spotless. Many thing were replaced for brand new items (furniture, pots and pans etc.). Children were in charge of bringing in all the decorations. Holly was used for protecting homes from evil spirits. They hung mistletoe as a symbol of peace, it could be found hanging above doorways or from a room. Another tradition was the placing of the candle next to the window. the candle was to be lit by the youngest member of the family and extinguished by someone named Mary. If you did not have a candle you had the same guilt as the innkeeper from Bethlehem when he said No room.

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IRISH TRADITIONS AND SUPERSTITIONS (CONTINUED) Holly was used for protecting homes from evil spirits. They hung mistletoe as a symbol of peace, it could be found hanging above doorways or from a room. Another tradition was the placing of the candle next to the window. the candle was to be lit by the youngest member of the family and extinguished by someone named Mary. If you did not have a candle you had the same guilt as the innkeeper from Bethlehem when he said No room.

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Past/IRISH CELEBRATIONS Saint Patricks day is religious celebration. It is celebrated on March 17 th the death date of the very famous Saint. Saint Patrick. Northern celebrates The Twelfth of July in honor of William III victory at the Battle of Boyne. A very famous holiday is Halloween. Even the tradition of carving a pumpkin dated back to the 18 th century.

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BIG TURNING POINT/PROTESTANTS AND CATHOLICS Before the turning point, there was a prohibition that prevented anyone who supported the Catholic Stuart King, James II. He tried to take the place of Protestant, (someone part of a Christian community) William of Orange. He then lost in the Battle of Boyne. All rights were taken for Irish Catholics. They were no longer aloud to go to school, buy land, vote, serve as an officer in the British Army or Navy. Many unemployed Irish Catholics emigrated and left for North America.

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Big Turning Point/The Great Famine The Great Famine was a period of time of great disease, starvation and immigration. The cause of the famine was a potato disease, Potato Blight. Potato Blight is a disease that is spreads through the foliage of potatoes and tomatoes in wet weather. It causes the tomatoes and potatoes to decay and rot, which makes the potato inedible. The problem here was that 1/3 of Ireland depended on potatoes for food and money. When all the crops failed the Government had to act, but instead of helping people with food the Government introduced new taxes. Landowners would have to pay to raise money for public works relief. During this relief plan, Ireland was divided into 130 areas called unions. Each union had its own workhouse. That way it created work and it provided for building workhouses. Example of potato blight.

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The Great Famine (CONTINUED) When you arrive at a workhouse the head of the family was harshly questioned to make you prove you had no other way of living. Once this was admitted, families were split up. Men, woman, boys and girls lived in different areas. Their old clothes were taken away and they were provided a new set of work clothes. Men broke stones, women knit, children went school and older children received industrial training, Residents of the workhouse were forbidden to leave. There were no family reunions other than church. Many Irish tried to stay away from workhouses. They knew that once they entered they would lose all freedom. Left, an Irish workhouse. Right an Irish workhouse family.

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Big Turning Point/Irish Immigrating to Canada More than 100,000 Irish sailed to Canada in 1847. Many also came to North America to escape The Great Famine. Some stayed in Canada and later on went to America. Those who stayed in Canada supplied cheap labour that helped Canadas economy through the 1850s to the 1860s At first, when the Irish came to Canada there were laws that said that Irish Catholics could not purchase or lease land, vote, get education, from entering a profession and being part of anything political.

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Present The Irish Community has kept many parts of its culture. Two main parts include music and dance. The Irish play the harp, the fiddle, the mandolin and the tin whistle. A very important symbol for the Irish-Catholic community is the Celtic cross. It decorates everything from jewelry to tombstones. The Celtic cross. A Celtic harp.

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Present (continued) Irish-Canadians all know how to speak English and/or French now. Few of them know how to speak Irish. The language is a popular choice! It is being taught in universities all across Canada. The Irish make many crafts. They make stained glass, jewellery, pottery, musical instruments, leatherwork and they knit. Left, stained glass. Right, Irish pottery

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FUN FACTS The Orange Order was a society of Protestants (a member of any Western Christian churches) it was created in 1795 because to remember the victory of William of Orange at the Battle of Boyne in 1690. The Irish immigrated on coffin ships. Coffin ships were unclean and often overcrowded. You would get Ship fever when on sailing. It was first a headache, then a swelling pain that made you feel like your head was going to burst. Next pain in the bones followed by swelling of limbs. Sometimes the patient would be covered in yellow watery pimples or covered in red and purple spots which turned to nasty sores.

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Conclusion That is all I have. I hope you learned more about the Irish-Canadian community past, turning point present. I found this topic really interesting especially the Great Famine. I never knew the Irish had so much to its past! Thank you! ~Jenny