by Terrence M. Punch Daniel O'Connell, the apostle of the Repeal Movement London Graphic, 26 August 1882.

The following is the second installment of an article which appeared in Issue 21. The Repeal movement centered on an Irish constitutional issue, repeal of the Act of Union of 1801, which had extinguished the autonomous Irish Parliament and provided for the elec-tion of a fixed number of Irish MPs to the British Parliament. Born in Ire-land, the campaign for Repeal flour-ished wherever communities of emi-grant Irishmen gathered. From Halifax and St. John's, hotbeds of Repeal sen-timent in the Atlantic region, the Repeal gospel was carried to Prince Edward Island in the early 1840s. Now, a century and a half later, lists of those who attended Repeal rallies provide important clues for genealogists and pose tantalizing questions for histori-ans of 19th century Prince Edward Island.

Introduction

As researchers in the field will be well aware, unearthing the his-

tory of the Irish in our region is not something undertaken lightly or in haste. Relatively few Irish have left us journals or diaries or the other para-phernalia of historic record that one would wish. Thanks in part to the ris-ing tide of interest in genealogy and the hard work of a few pioneers in fos-tering acknowledgment of, and pride in, being of Irish origin, there is more pressure on researchers to unearth the necessary documentation of that Irish past. Part of that effort resulted in the lists of Irish Repealers published in Number 20 of The Island Magazine.

Each new discovery of contemporary source material whets the researcher's appetite to dig deeper to see if there is more to be found. On the present occa-sion, and with suitable cries of "Eureka!", I offer a further installment of Repeal lists to help in naming the Irish population of Prince Edward Island in the early 1840s. The chief of these pertains to a large meeting in Charlottetown.

Two immediate reflections upon the present list are in order, as they empha-size characteristics of the Island's Irish population. In the first place, the 149 names on the previous lists, and the 223 on this one, indicate that the Irish of Prince Edward Island, like those of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, ar-rived here prior to the Great Famine of 1846-49. Too often, the Irish migration to this region has been lumped together with that to larger centres. To these latter, in fact, tens of thousands of starving and destitute Irish people thronged during, and immediately fol-lowing, the Great Famine.

A second observation is that the Irish population of Charlottetown was much more variegated in county of origin than, for example, its counter-part on St. Peter's Road, which had a solid County Monaghan base. The "Monaghan Irish" form about one-fifth of the Charlottetown list. Wexford, Tipperary, and Kilkenny also loom relatively large, suggesting that Char-lottetown, like Halifax and St. John's, was drawing its Irish population from the southern coastal counties of Ire-land, particularly through the port of Waterford.

A glance through the names will

quickly reveal that the Island Repeal-ers were supported by Nova Scotian, Newfoundland, New York, Scottish, and English friends. The sympathy of some non-Irish Island Repealers may have originated in a different issue. One is inclined to speculate about the extent to which the Repeal movement might have been associated in the public mind with the Island Escheat Movement. The latter campaign advocated the confiscation by the government of Island townships from their proprie-tors for non-performance of the condi-tions upon which they were originally granted in 1767, and their resale in small parcels to the tenantry. The Escheat Movement had gained momen-tum on Prince Edward Island during the 1830s, though its power had begun to wane by 1843. While not spearheaded by Irish colonists, it probably enjoyed widespread support among them. A careful comparison of the names of the supporters of each campaign might determine whether there was a signifi-cant connection between the two con-current movements in the colony.

The Register, the Catholic newspaper in Halifax, reported the Charlottetown Repeal meeting in its issue of 24 October 1843. It sometimes did not give the placenames accurately or, more to our purpose, recognizably. This necessi-tates the addition of data within paren-theses to insure maximum value to those who seek an ancestor's birth-place herein. The original version has been kept as well, to reveal how our forebears said or wrote Irish place-names. Ellipses are used to indicate where no address was specifically stated for an individual. In some cases,

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6. John Boyle, Castlecomer, Kilkenny

60. James Duffy, Aghareagh [Aghabog], Monaghan 61. William Duffy... 62. Robert Dunn, Inhabitant [?], Sligo

123. Constantine McCourt, Monaghan

*Probably John LeLacheur, one of the leading Escheaters.

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124. Miss Mary McDonnell, Tehallen, Monaghan 125. Peter McElroy, Tedavnet, Monaghan

127. James McGinnis, Donagh, Monaghan 128. Felix McGoodwin...

133. Hugh MeKenna, Monaghan

140. Wiliam McKierney, Kilmore, Monaghan

152. Owen Mulligan, Monaghan

163. Thomas North, New Ross, Wexford

165. Arthur O'Neil, Monaghan

171. Pierce Power, Dunkitt, Kilkenny

174. Miss Anastatia Quinn, Ballygriffin, Kilkenny

176. James Reade, Thomastown, Kilkenny

179. James Reddin, son of #178 180. Rev. Malachi Reynolds, P.P. Charlottetown,

Rumlish [Drumlish, Killoe], Longford

182. Moses Roach, Carlow 183. Patrick Rooney, Monaghan 184. Maurice Ronayne, Midleton, Cork 185. Martin Ryan, Borris, Carlow 186. Patrick Ryan, Waterfbrd 187. Richard Ryan, Cashel, Tipperary

189. Thomas Sheehan, Tedavnet, Monaghan 190. John Shreenan, Puilford [?], Monaghan 191. James Slattery, son of late Robert Slattery, Tralee,

195. Andrew Tate, New Ross, Wexford

197. Thomas Tobin, Curraghduff, Wexford

221. Patrick Wynn, Puilford [?], Monaghan

Lawrence O'Connor Doyle (1804-1864) of Nova Scotia was one of the most prominent Repeal leaders.

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Though not as helpful for people seeking their ancestors' place of origin, three other brief lists of Repealers have

| been found. For the sake of completeness, they are added here. The Register of August 15,1843 carried its earliest report of a Repeal meeting on the Island, at Ten Mile House, St. Peter's Road, on July 11, 1843. Seventeen

226. Anthony Duggan, Mill Cove (Secretary) 227. Joseph Affleck (Warden, St. Peter's Rd.) 228. James Duggan (Warden, Mill Cove) 229. William Fitzpatrick, Charlottetown (Chairman) 230. John McCarron (Warden, Frenchfbrt) 231. James MacDonald, Alisary, Jr. (Warden, Portage) 232. Andrew McPhee (Warden, Black River) 233. Francis McQuade (Warden, S t Peter's Road)

235. Robert Mooney (Warden, Mill Cove)

237. James O'Connor (Warden, Sandhills) 238. Thomas O'Kane (President of St. Andrew's College)

The Register of September 26, 1843 recorded seven Re-pealers who attended a meeting held at Fort Augustus on August 15, chaired by John Slattery of Charlottetown and with Francis Kelly, agent to Rev. John McDonald, as

241. Francis Kelly (head warden)

245. James (Sandy) MacDonald of Glenfinnan

In the same issue of the Register, another Repeal meeting was reported, this one held on August 21,1843 at Barretts Cross Roads. It, too, was chaired by John Slattery of Charlottetown. The six Repeal wardens in Lot 19 were

249. Martin Kehoe (Bedeque Rd.)

251. James O'Connor (Wilmot Creek)

| 253. John W. Woods (Miscouche)

/ r /wf lgB - szn&P*»j*+if^ having pa&*

O K * SHILLING, is eni^gdM A R E P E A L E R cm the Boots of th» ^ Association, tfcia /& -day ci<r~y 1S46. r

_ _ «J> | Sect«t3tj>

r." "jg£ S T A T I S T I C S of IJEUS&AMTD.

Its greatest length id S<V> statute miles, and ita greatest breadth is V It contains 32,513 square miles, equal to 20,808,271 statute men

U has a coast of above 2000 miles, with 14 harbours adapted for ships of the line, 17 adapted for frigates, and above 60 other harbours. Itpoe-

several navigable rivers, oae of which, the Shannon, is the largest ta the United Kingdom. Its seas and rivers abound in fish, a fruitful eouree of national wealth. Its climate*tt healthy and genial^ $ta so)} . (a fertile, and beneath it minerals abound.. In 2,500,000 acres of bog> It possesses an inexhaustible supply of jfueL -It contain* nearly hatf • million of acres covered with timber. Its/hve stock is Veined s4 jf21,000,000. Its land ia estimated to be worth, in annual value, ,

" about f̂ 14,000,000. Its bank paper circulation amounts to- aboa* jtf5,500,000. Its state revenue, exclusive of uneredited taxation, average*

• •bout .*r4,500,000 per annum. Its local taxation—county cess, tithe, poor rate, and other local taxes, exceed ^2,000,000 per annum. It sup* plies 42,000 men to 'the British Army. Its population was, in 18411 8,t'75,li4, of whom 7,039,656 live in the country, and 1,185,465 in towns. Its population live in about 1,550,000 houses. It exports Grain, Cattle,

i Butter, and other descriptions of food, to the value of many million* sterling per annum, whilst a large proportion of ita population lire upoa potatoes alone. It imports tn the valee of sfficpal millions sterling, per annum, manufactures, which, if p employment to native industry.

£ forpms of exchangeable e b-fsra inhabhants,tpttpeur> a ' yield. Its rulers, sino$ the fii

govern it by weakening u " fruits of this policy in the r Its lauded proprietors and capita are seduced away from the nata the fatal influence of the Union. Its a situation of trust and emolument; and its gtjianslSfnt and adminiatratioo are confided to strangers regardless of their feelings and interests. Its lawa are made by a Parliament ignorant of ita wants, and imbued with preja* dices against its inhabitants. To this Parliament Ireland sends only 105 members, out of 658. Such are the Resources which entitle Ireland to a Parliament. Such are the consequence^ which resul* from the absenee of a Parliament. Ireland will obtain a Parliament by

fHK CESSATION OF RKUOIOCS AVtMOgrTIES, BT TEMPERAWCX, KNOWLEDGE, PEACE, COCRAGE, AND PERSEVERANCE.

|l.,»l.̂ ltf»,,4„r«,l.i, •• i.ft..;w,»̂ r̂ AW.«>M.M i».*«.-,n. A Loyal National Repeal Association membership car d for Maur ice Hearne of Halifax. On the front is a map of Ireland; on the back "Statistics of Ireland" outline the country's resources, ending, "Ireland will obtain a Parliament by the cessation of religious animosities, by temperance, knowledge, peace, courage, and perseverance."

however, the context of the list sug-gests that adjacent people of the same surname might be natives of the same place.

One further note of explanation con-cerns the titles scattered through the lists below. A "Repeal warden" was the representative of the Repeal Associa-

tion in specific communities. An essen-tial part of the Repeal organization was the collection of the so-called "Catholic rent" of one penny per month (equal to one shilling per year). The warden communicated news from the upper leadership to the local member-ship and forwarded the "Catholic rent",

often with a covering report of acti-vities, to the organizers above him the chain of communications. Periodically, the provincial secretary would forward the money directly to Dublin, and some-times the local Catholic press carried the concomitant correspondence, ifii

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