Thousands of Irish people fleeing the Great Famine of 1847 settled in Montreal. It is estimated that 6,000 of them lost their lives on the shores of the St. Lawrence River during the voyage, and are buried in a cemetery located in Montreal’s southwest borough, near the Black Rock.
Since the Réseau express métropolitain (REM), the light-rail transit organization, will be working in close proximity to the site in the coming weeks, the Irish community and top representatives of several religious denominations were invited to gather Wednesday evening for a ceremony to bless the land.
The event was described as “a rare and significant opportunity to attest to the rich history of the Irish community in Montreal.”
Hydro-Québec, which for more than a year has owned the land, is working with the Irish community and the City of Montreal to create a commemorative park at the Black Rock site.
Religious representatives and Montreal Irish Monument Park organizers gather in front of the Black Rock. Standing, left to right, Chris Deehy of the St. Patrick’s Society of Montreal, Beryl Wajsman, Bishop Thomas Dowd of the Catholic Archdiocese of Montreal, Faithkeeper Kevin Kanahsohon of the Mohawk Trail Longhouse at Kanawake, Rabbi Alan W. Bright of Shaare Tzedek Congregation, Bishop of Montreal Mary Irwin-Gibson of the Anglican Diocese of Montreal, Father Joseph Sullivan of St. Patrick’s Basilica, Fergus V. Keyes, director of the Montreal Irish Monument Park Foundation, and Scott Phelan, past-president of the St. Patrick’s Society. Photo: St. Patrick’s Society of Montreal.
Before the blessing, REM had arranged to have some earth removed from the area where a new transit line will be installed.
“Since REM will be digging directly beside the active CN rail line, it would have been too dangerous to have a crowd at the exact site of the dig, so the ceremony was held in close proximity in the parking lot across from the Black Rock,” said Fergus Keyes, director of the Montreal Irish Monument Park Foundation.
“The REM people were kind enough to arrange to have some earth from the exact site moved to the tent where the ceremony took place,” Mr. Keyes added. Once the ceremony was over, REM arranged to have the now-blessed earth returned to the actual dig site.
His Excellency Jim Kelly, Irish Ambassador to Canada, was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict, but sent a written note, highlighting the history of the site and congratulating everyone on the progress toward a meaningful memorial space.
