Canadian group visit Mitchelstown
As part of the Gathering event, 'Canada Come Home' in Cork city, a group of people from Peterborough in Canada took a short detour in Mitchelstown on Thursday last to explore the links between their community and Mitchelstown.
Through the Ireland Reaching Out project in the Ballyhoura area, strong connections between the two places emerged and a lot of research was done into the Peter Robinson assisted emigration programme.
This occurred between 1823 and 1825 and more than 700 families left areas, such as Kilbehenny, Mitchelstown, Ballygiblin, Fermoy, Doneraile, Charleville and Kilfinane to live in Canada.
"This mass movement has meant that the Diaspora of the “Peter Robinson Settlers” would be thousands of people that are connected back to this area along the Blackwater Valley," Amanda Slattery, Tourism and Heritage Officer with Ballyhoura Development said.
The group from Canada was led by the Mayor of Selwyn, Mary Smith and they were welcomed to Mitchelstown by volunteers from Ireland Reaching Out, Ballyhoura Failte and Ballyhoura Development.
"The linkages are so evident in the street names and townships of Peterborough, that Irishness is still celebrated so strongly. We are only on the cusp of uncovering more about the extent of the people connected back to this region because of the emigration, it makes the potential for linkages an exciting prospect," Amanda said after the visit.
Following on from Mitchelstown, the group travelled to Cork City, where they were greeted by the Lord Mayor at the Gathering event in City Hall.
Published:
Thursday 19th September 7:36pm
