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Irish QuebecersIn modern Quebec many Quebecers are partly of Irish descent, making them Irish Quebecers. It is estimated that about 40% of French-speaking Quebecers have Irish ancestry on at least one side of their family tree. History Quebec has seen a substantial immigration from Ireland in its history, especially over the course of the Irish Great Famine. One notable event of the Irish settlement is the disaster at Grosse-le, when many Irish children were left as orphans in Quebec. These children were adopted mainly by the French speakers of Lower Canada. These children fought for their right to keep their Irish surnames, and were largely successful. Mixing between the Irish and the Quebecers has been important. It is notably because, in the pre-Quiet Revolution religious Quebec, the common catholic religion of the two promoted mariages between those groups, more than with the English and Scottish protestants settlers. Today, there are many households in Quebec that maintain an Irish name. Some have assimilated into Quebec culture while some others are now part of the local English speaking community. One of those households is the Johnson family, a political dynasty that gave Quebec three Premiers, all of different parties and ideologies. Many descendants of Irish Quebecers amassed large fortunes in Montreal in the 1920's, but most lost their fortunes in the Stock Market Crash of 1929. Irishmen were also instrumental in building Victoria Bridge in Montreal. Near the entrance of this bridge is a great stone bearing an inscription commemorating the Irish who died after arriving to the city. One of the greatest influences the Irish had and still have on their new compatriots is within music. Quebec folklore has adopted, and adapted, the Irish reel as its own (see Reel (dance)). Begun in 1824, the Saint Patrick's Day parade of Montreal, Quebec is still the oldest large and organized parade of its kind of the North American continent. See also External links
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