Visit to Grosse-Ile

FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2010

Bonjour from Quebec City

Well, Sixteeners, today I took a boat ride to Grosse-Ile. That's the place where the Irish immigrants landed when they came to Canada during the potato famine. There was a terrible tragedy in 1847 when so many died of typhus on Grosse-Ile. They are buried on the island and there is a huge Celtic cross to honour them. It was erected in 1909 and it is the largest Celtic cross outside of Ireland. There is also a memorial wall that lists the names of the dead. If you are in the Quebec City area, I recommend that you visit Grosse-Ile. It's even more poignant if you are of Irish ancestry. I am not of Irish ancestry, but my husband is. His great-great grandfather Matthew Madden died in Toronto in 1912, but so far we have been unable to trace his parents. We do not know the name of the town or city they came from in Ireland. Nor do we know if they died at sea or on Grosse-Ile.

On this day in 1934, the Dionne quintuplets were born in Callander, Ontario, near the village of Corbeil. A Depression-weary public was intrigued by these five little girls. Sadly, only two of the sisters survive today - Annette and Cecile.

SPORTS

The Blue Jays snapped a losing streak by defeating the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 5-0. They are back on track.

- Joanne