Irish identity in 1840s Halifax

Abstract

The nineteenth century witnessed global migration of the Irish. The Irish settled in many places and one of the many destinations was Atlantic Canada. They played a pivotal role in informing the region’s economic, social, and cultural development. Here they established an identity. This thesis offers insight into Irish migration to Atlantic Canada by focusing on religious identity among settlers in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and assesses the extent to which religious antagonism developed as a consequence of their desire to preserve their identity. It focuses on the decade starting in 1840 and is informed by a close analysis of Nova Scotian newspapers. This thesis demonstrates that this was a period of increasing religious and political hostility in Halifax, and that Irish migrants were effective in preserving their religious identity, but with this, religious antagonism could sometimes occur.