The Bronze Shoes at the Saint-Colomban City Hall are on the Global Irish Famine Way heritage trail.
Join us in Saint-Colomban on Saturday, September 26th, for Saint-Colomban Irish Heritage Day! The Canadian Irish Migration Preservation Network (CIMPN), with the generous support of the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network (QAHN) through the grant Footsteps of Exile: Interpreting the Bronze Shoes and Irish Famine Memory in Quebec, invites you to a celebration of history, community, and culture. Beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Saint-Colomban City Hall, the afternoon will bring together local history enthusiasts, community leaders, and artists for a program featuring film, archives, music, and hands-on heritage preservation.
The celebration will highlight CIMPN’s ongoing work to preserve, document, and share Saint-Colomban’s Irish heritage. CIMPN President Kelley O’Rourke and Vice-President Fergus Keyes will share the story of the organization’s work to preserve the historic Saint-Colomban Cemetery and will highlight recent CIMPN initiatives, including The Irish Mile and Saint-Colomban’s connection to the Global Irish Famine Way.
CIMPN board member Samara O’Gorman is coordinating the day’s program on behalf of CIMPN and is creating a short video history capsule exploring Irish identity and memory in Saint-Colomban, which will premiere during the event.
Catherine Phelan’s 1853 School Sampler – Donated to Histoire et Archives Laurentides Museum by Kelley O’Rourke who received it from Colleen Pearce.
Attendees will also have an opportunity to explore a curated exhibition of historical artifacts and archival documents presented by Histoire et Archives Laurentides. During the event, Histoire et Archives Laurentides will present CIMPN with the prestigious Prix d’Histoire et Archives Laurentides in recognition of the organization’s outstanding contributions to preserving local history.
The afternoon will conclude with a cemetery mapping demonstration across the street at the historic Saint-Colomban Cemetery, where guests can learn firsthand how historic gravestones are documented and mapped. Throughout the event, attendees can enjoy live classical Irish music, have their photograph taken by a professional photographer on CIMPN’s “green carpet” in front of the official CIMPN backdrop, and enjoy a selection of sweets and refreshments.
Whether you have deep ancestral ties to Saint-Colomban or simply appreciate local history, CIMPN’s Saint-Colomban Irish Heritage Day offers a wonderful opportunity to connect with the past and celebrate the community’s living Irish heritage.
Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network (QAHN)
Ville de Saint-Colomban