Scotch-Irish Canadians

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Scottish-Irish Canadians
Regions with significant populations
Scottish-Irish Americans

Scottish-Irish Canadians or Scots-Irish Canadians are those who are Ulster Scots or those who have Ulster Scots ancestry and live in or were born in Canada. Ulster Scots are Lowland Scots people and Northern English people who immigrated to the Irish Province of Ulster from the early 17th century after the accession of James I (James VI as King of Scotland) to the English throne. This was known as the Plantation of Ulster.

Scottish-Irish Canadians, ultimately originating from Scotland, observe many of the same customs and traditions as

Scottish clans. Many also wear the tartans.[1]

History

After the creation of

United Empire Loyalists or directly from Ulster.[citation needed
]

The first significant number of Canadian settlers to arrive from Ireland were Protestants from predominantly

Alexander McNutt. Some came directly from Ulster whilst others arrived after via New England.[citation needed
]

Ulster-Scottish migration to

Orange Order
.

In 1806, The

St. John's, Newfoundland. Membership was open to adult residents of Newfoundland who were of Irish birth or ancestry, regardless of religious persuasion. The BIS was founded as a charitable, fraternal, middle-class social organization, on the principles of "benevolence and philanthropy", and had as its original objective to provide the necessary skills which would enable the poor to better themselves. Today the society is still active in Newfoundland and is the oldest philanthropic organization in North America.[citation needed
]

In 1877, a breakthrough in Irish Canadian Protestant-Catholic relations occurred in London, Ontario. This was the founding of the Irish Benevolent Society, a brotherhood of Irishmen and women of both Catholic and Protestant faiths. The society promoted Irish Canadian culture, but it was forbidden for members to speak of Irish politics when meeting. This companionship of Irish people of all faiths quickly tore down the walls of sectarianism in Ontario. Today, the Society is still operating.

For years[when?], Prince Edward Island had been divided between Catholics and Protestants. In the latter half of the 20th century, this sectarianism diminished and was ultimately destroyed recently after two events occurred. Firstly, the Catholic and Protestant school boards were merged into one secular institution, and secondly, the practice of electing two MLAs for each provincial riding (one Catholic and one Protestant) was ended.

The Orange Order in Canada is a fraternal organization originating from Ulster. The group's name is a tribute to King William of Orange. Their holiday, The Twelfth, is celebrated by members and Ulster-Scots worldwide commemorating King William's victory of the Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne. The Orange Order's members must swear loyalty to the British Monarch and to uphold the teachings of Protestant Christianity. The order for a long time had huge political influence in Canada. By 1844, six of Toronto's ten aldermen were Orangemen, and over the rest of the nineteenth century twenty of twenty-three mayors would be as well. The organization is quite controversial and despised and labeled sectarian by Irish Catholics. Numbers of riots have ensued due to the Orange Order.[citation needed]

In 1913, the Orange Association of Manitoba volunteered a regiment to fight with the Ulster Volunteers against the new Irish government if Home Rule were to be introduced to Ireland. Orangemen played a big part in suppressing the

Fenians). Orangemen in western Canada helped suppress the rebellions of Louis Riel in 1870 and 1885. The murder of abducted Orangeman Thomas Scott was a turning point in the 1870 Red River Rebellion
which caused the Dominion government to launch the Red River Expedition to restore order. The first Orange Warrant in Manitoba and the North West Territories was carried by a member of this expedition. The call to arms by Bro. Sir
First World War.[citation needed
]

Notable people

Four Canadian Prime Ministers were Orange Order members:

Arthur Meighen, the ninth Prime Minister who served two terms from July 1920 to December 1921 and again from June to September 1926 was born in Ontario, but his grandfather emigrated in 1839 from Bovevagh, near Dungiven, in County Londonderry

The Hart wrestling family through Stu Hart.[2]

References

  1. ^ "BBC - Ulster-Scots - Library : Canada's Ulster-Scots". Archived from the original on 2012-11-16. Retrieved 2013-10-14.
  2. ISBN 1-4116-5329-7
    .
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