The Bytown Museum is showcasing the Irish contribution to Ottawa’s origins in a display dedicated to the workers who built the Rideau Canal as the city gears up for this month’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
The Bytown Museum plans to change its mini-exhibition on its 2nd floor to display the names of more than 250 Irish men who helped build the canal between 1827 and 1832, the time when Bytown — the future Ottawa — was founded.
These names were taken from the “McCabe List”, a document found in a Public Record Office in England the 1980s that contained the names of several hundred Irish canal workers. The mini-display is a screen on the 2nd floor that is changed every month. This month, it will be dedicated to the Irish workers in honour of St. Patrick’s Day.
The museum also has a “Canal Workers” display in its Permanent Gallery about the workers that was last fully renovated in 2007. The exhibit was updated with new artifacts and more information about the roles of the workers last year.
One artifact, an Irish sason’s mallet and chisel set from County Cork, Ireland, was not used on the canal’s construction but the museum says it is very representative of the time period and came from where many of the workers also came from. The museum also added postcards sent in the late 1800s between Lockmasters on the canal.
One important fact that was added to the exhibit was that the Irish (and French) people who worked on the canal under the direction of Englishman Col. John By were not just unskilled labourers, but also acted in more skilled positions such as masons and carpenters. The exhibit also added more information about the labourers wives and children.
The Rideau Canal was opened in 1832. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the oldest continuously operating canal in North America, it was built to provide a waterway between the Ottawa River and Lake Ontario.
After the War of 1812, it was designed to provide a safe supply route between Montreal and Kingston without using the St. Lawrence River route, which was more vulnerable to attack from the Americans. The canal’s construction, and the land settlements around it led to the birth of Bytown, and thus the city of Ottawa.
Grant Vogl, the museum’s collections and exhibitions manager, says the Irish came to Ottawa for many reasons. He says some immigrated prior to the canal being built, while others came just in time for the construction to find work.
“[The Irish] came looking for work along the canal with hopes of obtaining work and land in order to bring their families over,” he says.
The Irish Society of the National Capital Region will not be holding a commemorative event for the workers during its St. Patrick’s Day festival, as it commemorates the workers annually in the month of August, but it will be holding a multitude of other events, including an already sold-out party at Lansdowne’s Aberdeen Pavilion and the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Beau’s Brewing Company is hosting the St. Patrick’s Day Party for the first time. In the past, Beau’s had only been a sponsor of the ISNCR’s annual bash.
Jennifer Beauchesne, Beau’s communications director, says the society approached the brewing company this year and asked Beau’s to step up its role.
“They know that Beau’s knows how to throw a party so we were the logical partner for them to approach to kick it to the next level and make it more of a shin-dig that everybody can enjoy,” she says.
Josh Gottlieb, Beau’s events producer, says the party will have a variety of performers, including the BC band Delhi 2 Dublin, as well as pop-up acoustic performances and kitchen parties that will combine beer, food and education.
“We’ll have the opportunity for the public to interact with some Irish sports, whether it’s some Irish dance lessons or some interactive activities with the Ottawa Gaels, the Gaelic football club,” he adds.
He also says it’s important to keep the party true to its origins and educate people about Irish culture.
“It’s important to us to not only bring what we do as Beau’s and throw a party in our way but it’s also important for us to keep the cultural elements and some of the traditional entertainment that’s been at the party,” he says.
Beauchesne says OC Transpo will be offering free busing to anyone who shows a printed copy of their ticket to the Lansdowne event so that people can ride safely on the 19th.
Tracey Dixon, the ISNCR’s past president and the Irish Festival’s chairman, says the annual parade will run mainly down Bank Street, beginning at city hall on Laurier Avenue and ending at Lansdowne. The ISNCR is collecting non-perishables during the parade for the Ottawa Food Bank.
She says the parade after-party at Beau’s, which runs from 1 to 9 p.m., will be full of entertainment. The party is all-ages, though a multitude of different beers will be available for attendees who are of legal drinking age.
Gottlieb and Dixon both say the 2,000 tickets to the party sold out faster than expected.
Dixon adds that the addition of the Family Fun Fest on Saturday March 12, which is aimed at children, is also new this year.
“We have the children’s event that we haven’t had in the past. We’re trying to get a full range of entertainment during the full week for families, as well as different age groups.”
Dixon also says that retaining St. Patrick’s Day’s cultural significance is important for remembering the Irish people’s contributions to the city.
“They were the forefathers of this city, so they worked on the canal, they built a lot of the buildings in the city, and you know that’s part of our heritage and our culture for this city, and it’s a very important part,” she says. “It’s very important to all of us to make sure our children realize the impact that the Irish people have made in the city of Ottawa.”
Dixon says she expects this year’s festival to be bigger and better than last year, and that everyone is welcome to attend.
The Ottawa Irish Festival kicks off on Friday March 11 with a proclamation at city hall, and continues through until Saturday March 19. A full event listing is available on the ISNCR’s website at http://www.irishsocietyncr.com/.