The Montreal Irish and the Great War

An examination of Irish Montreal's reaction to the military recruitment and overall support for the First World War, especially during the 1917 Easter Rebellion in Ireland against British rule, and the subsequent executions by the British Government of the leaders of the uprising. The author concludes that Irish Montreal's support for the war remained strong, especially among the well-to-do elements of the community, even after the rebellion in Ireland. He details the establishment of and recruitment for the Irish Canadian Rangers, a Montreal Irish company for the 60th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and the Irish volunteers for the Montreal Home Guard. However, he also points out that working-class Irish Montrealers responded much less enthusiastically to the call to arms in 1916, though whether because of events in Ireland or because of the cost of living is impossible to say. The author points out that Montreal's Irish were certainly typical of Canadians in all regions during that period of 1916.

Canadian Catholic Historical Association Historical Studies

Vol. 52

67-81

1985

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