The Prince Edward Island Connection:
Like every other area in the country, Emyvale suffered mass emigration as a result of the Great famine (1845 - 1848). However a
lesser emigration took place between 1830 and 1841 and this was to form a unique link between Emyvale and Prince Edward
Island, Canada. The man responsible for this exodus was Very Rev. Canon Patrick Moynagh, PP Donagh. He encouraged and
indeed, in some cases, paid for his parishioners to emigrate to this fertile island.
Professor Brendan O’Grady, of Charlottetown University, who has carried out so much research in this aspect of Irish emigration to
PEI has written: Of the several thousand immigrants from two dozen Irish counties, who came to PEI in the first half of the 19th
century, the largest group originated in Co. Monaghan. Between 1830 and 1850, they came out from the baronies of Truagh and
Monaghan, deserting their cottages in Donagh, Tydavnet, Clontibret, Emyvale, Glaslough, Tyholland and Monaghan town, for the
promise of a better life in Canada’s smallest Province. Here they carved communities out of the wilderness, cultivated the clearings,
applied their skills in many trades, and made their mark on the political and
ecclesiastical history of a place, once officially called ‘New Ireland’.
Canon Moynagh was a self-educated man and spent some years in Tydavnet before
coming to Donagh in 1815. As PP of Donagh, he resided in a little house in
Mullaghbrack. He remained as PP until his death in 1860, during which time he also
served as Prior of Lough Derg for 30 years. He built St. Mary’s Church, Glennan,
in1837 and was always very generous to the poor. He was so revered by the people of
the parish that a large vault was erected at St. Patrick’s Church, Corracrin, to hold his
remains. The inscription on the tomb reads: ‘Underneath are deposited the remains of
the Very Revd. Patrick Moynagh, Parish Priest of this parish, and for many years Prior
of Lough Derg. During his long and laborious life, he was a constant benefactor of the
poor, and at his death bequeathed the interest of all the property he was possessed of,
for the annual relief of the poor of this parish, which had been so long blessed by his edifying life. He departed this life on the 2nd
August, 1860, aged 82 years’.
The first realisation of the close connection between Donagh and PEI came in the late 1950's
when Professor Brendan O'Grady began his research and discovered that his wife was
descended from a Delany family who resided in Emyvale, Ireland. The Delanys were stone
carvers who had taken over from the MacKays, who were employed by the Leslie family and
originally came from Scotland. Correspondence ensued between Brendan and mainly three
people here - Seamus McCluskey, Bennie Hackett and Fr. Barney McCarney, and Brendan also
paid a visit to Emyvale. However the connection remained on an academic level until the late
'80's when the PEI authorities started to organise Irish festivals and encouraged the links with
Emyvale Ireland.
A fresh connection was made to coincide with the island festival - ‘We’re Akin To Ireland Year’ in 1990 and after many visits by
officials both ways, County Monaghan and PEI were twinned Local Councillor, Willie McKenna, and Seamus McCluskey, played a
major role in the re-establishment of the new ties. Since then a big number of inhabitants from the island have visited Emyvale,
and many of them have discovered the ancestral home and have been introduced to relatives.
Monaghan has also been twinned with The Miramichi, New Brunswick as thousands of Irish and Monaghan people in particular,
landed there on the ‘coffin ships’ and some settled there and others made their way further west.
The Prince Edward Island Connection:
Like every other area in the country, Emyvale suffered mass
emigration as a result of the
Great famine (1845 -
1848). However a lesser
emigration took place
between 1830 and 1841
and this was to form a
unique link between
Emyvale and Prince Edward
Island, Canada. The man
responsible for this exodus
was Very Rev. Canon Patrick
Moynagh, PP Donagh. He encouraged and indeed, in some
cases, paid for his parishioners to emigrate to this fertile island.
Professor Brendan O’Grady, of Charlottetown University, who
has carried out so much research in this aspect of Irish
emigration to PEI has written: Of the several thousand
immigrants from two dozen Irish counties, who came to PEI in
the first half of the 19th century, the largest group originated in
Co. Monaghan. Between 1830 and 1850, they came out from
the baronies of Truagh and Monaghan, deserting their cottages
in Donagh, Tydavnet, Clontibret, Emyvale, Glaslough, Tyholland
and Monaghan town, for the promise of a better life in Canada’s
smallest Province. Here they carved communities out of the
wilderness, cultivated the
clearings, applied their skills
in many trades, and made
their mark on the political
and ecclesiastical history of a
place, once officially called
‘New Ireland’.
Canon Moynagh was a self-
educated man and spent
some years in Tydavnet
before coming to Donagh in 1815. As PP of Donagh, he resided
in a little house in Mullaghbrack. He remained as PP until his
death in 1860, during which time he also served as Prior of
Lough Derg for 30 years. He built St. Mary’s Church, Glennan,
in1837 and was always very generous to the poor. He was so
revered by the people of the parish that a large vault was
erected at St. Patrick’s Church, Corracrin, to hold his remains.
The inscription on the tomb reads: ‘Underneath are deposited
the remains of the Very Revd. Patrick Moynagh, Parish Priest of
this parish, and for many years Prior of Lough Derg. During his
long and laborious life, he was a constant benefactor of the
poor, and at his death bequeathed the interest of all the
property he was possessed of, for the annual relief of the poor
of this parish, which had been so long blessed by his edifying
life. He departed this life on the 2nd August, 1860, aged 82
years’.
The first realisation of the close connection between Donagh
and PEI came in the late 1950's when Professor Brendan
O'Grady began his research and discovered that his wife was
descended from a Delany family who resided in Emyvale,
Ireland. The Delanys were stone carvers who had taken over
from the MacKays, who were employed by the Leslie family and
originally came from Scotland. Correspondence ensued
between Brendan and mainly three people here - Seamus
McCluskey, Bennie Hackett and Fr. Barney McCarney, and
Brendan also paid a visit to Emyvale. However the connection
remained on an academic level until the late '80's when the PEI
authorities started to organise Irish festivals and encouraged
the links with Emyvale Ireland.
A fresh connection was made to coincide with the island festival
- ‘We’re Akin To Ireland Year’ in 1990 and after many visits by
officials both ways, County Monaghan and PEI were twinned
Local Councillor, Willie McKenna, and Seamus McCluskey, played
a major role in the re-establishment of the new ties. Since then
a big number of inhabitants from the island have visited
Emyvale, and many of them have discovered the ancestral
home and have been introduced to relatives.
Monaghan has also been twinned with The Miramichi, New
Brunswick as thousands of Irish and Monaghan people in
particular, landed there on the ‘coffin ships’ and some settled
there and others made their way further west.
PEI Revisited HERE
