Quarantine Island: Grosse Île’s Part in Ireland’s Great Emigration

Céad Míle Fáilte – and welcome to your Letter from Ireland for this week. We are still on our grand tour of North America following in the footsteps of our Irish ancestors as they built a new life in a new world. Today we travel to the Irish Famine Memorial site of Grosse Île just outside Quebec City in Canada. As I mentioned in last week’s letter, the journey we are on is part of the grand project we are completing this year to celebrate 10 years of the Green Room (Green Room members can follow us along and see the full itinerary here).

I’m sipping on a cup of coffee as I write, and I hope you’ll join me with a cup of whatever you fancy as we delve into today’s letter.

So, this week, let’s take a journey back in time to that place that holds a significant, if sombre, place in Irish emigrant history – Grosse Île. I’d like to share a message I received from John who lives in Ontario. He wrote:

“Dear Mike, I’ve been tracing my family’s journey from Ireland to Canada and it seems that they first hit land at Grosse Île. My great-great-grandmother passed through there during the Famine years, but I know so little about it. Could you shed some light on what Grosse Île was and what our ancestors might have experienced there? I feel like it’s an important part of our family’s story that I’m missing. Thanks, John Crowley, Ontario.”

Well, John, let’s see if we can uncover the story of Grosse Île and its significance in Irish emigrant history for the ancestors of so many of our readers.

A Gateway to the New World: Grosse Île’s Role in Irish Emigration.

Now, you might be wondering, “where on earth is Grosse Île?” Well, it’s a small island on the St. Lawrence River, about 30 miles downstream from Quebec City in Canada. But don’t let its size fool you – this tiny island played an huge role in the lives of countless Irish emigrants through the 1800s and beyond.

From 1832 to its closing in 1932, Grosse Île served as a main quarantine station for immigrants entering Canada. It was chosen for its natural harbour and its isolation from the mainland – perfect for preventing the spread of diseases like cholera and typhus that were all too common among ships arriving from Europe.

But it was during the Great Famine that Grosse Île saw its busiest and most tragic days. The island reportedly has over 5,000 Irish buried in its cemetery, not to mention those who perished during their journey and were buried at sea. In 1847, inadequate sanitation on the island led to a typhus outbreak, claiming most of the lives lost there. Over 100,000 Irish emigrants passed through the station in that year alone, with thousands succumbing to disease. Grosse Isle now stands as the most extensive burial site for The Great Famine refugees outside of Ireland. Following the formation of the Canadian Confederation in 1867, the island’s facilities were upgraded to align with the newly established Canadian government’s immigration standards.

Voices from the Past: Eye-Witness Accounts of Grosse Île.

I recently came across some eye-witness accounts from that time, and they paint a vivid picture of the conditions our ancestors faced. Dr. George Douglas, the medical superintendent at Grosse Île in 1847, wrote:

“I have seen hundreds of poor creatures, men, women and children, lying on the burning rock without a single thing between them and the hard surface… In a state of filth and misery which I could not adequately describe.”

Can you imagine? The sort of desperation that would drive people to endure such conditions, all in the hope of a better life?

Another account comes from Stephen De Vere, an Irish emigrant who voluntarily arrived by ship to document conditions. He reported:

“Hundreds of poor people, men, women and children of all ages, from the drivelling idiot of ninety to the babe just born, huddled together without light, without air, wallowing in filth and breathing a fetid atmosphere…”

But in these stories of hardship, we also find incredible tales of human kindness and resilience.

Take Dr. Douglas himself. After the crisis of 1847, he continued his work at Grosse Île for several more years. His dedication during the typhus epidemic earned him widespread recognition, and in 1850, he was promoted to Medical Superintendent for Lower Canada (now Quebec). 

Throughout his career, Dr. Douglas advocated tirelessly for improved medical care and sanitation for immigrants. The experiences of 1847 never left him, and he used his position to stress the need for better conditions on ships and more comprehensive health screenings before departure from European ports.

It’s a testament to the impact Grosse Île had, not just on the emigrants who passed through, but on those who worked to help them as well. Dr. Douglas’s story reminds us that even in the darkest times, there are always those who will stand up and fight for what’s right.

Remembering Grosse Île: A Place of Reflection and Resilience.

Today, Grosse Île stands as a national historic site, and a place of remembrance and reflection. Visitors can explore preserved buildings, churches, and hospitals. A 46-foot tall Celtic cross stands as a memorial to the thousands of Irish who perished on the island. Perhaps most moving is the glass memorial engraved with the names of those who died on Grosse Île – a poignant reminder of the human cost of emigration.

Robert Corrigan, an Irish immigrant who passed through Grosse Île and later became a successful businessman in Quebec, reflected years later:

“We who survived will never forget the scenes we witnessed there. It was a place of great suffering, but also of great courage.”

Even in the face of unimaginable hardship, so many found the courage to persevere and hope, to dream of better days ahead.

So, the next time you’re tracing your family tree or wondering about your ancestors’ journey to the New World, spare a thought for Grosse Île. It’s more than just a dot on the map – it’s a testament to the strength and spirit of the Irish people.

And who knows? Maybe someday you’ll have the chance to visit Grosse Île yourself. To walk the same ground as those brave souls from our past, to stand before the Celtic cross and remember their sacrifices. It’s a powerful experience, one that connects us deeply to our history and to each other. We look forward to walking the paths of Grosse Île later today with a group of our Green Room members.

That’s it for this week’s letter. Thank you to John for asking the question! How about the rest of our readers? Do you have any family stories of landing at Grosse Île or maybe a similar quarantine island? Or perhaps you’ve visited Grosse Île yourself?

Slán for now,

Mike.

P.S. Green Room members, don’t forget you can follow our entire journey (see itinerary here)! Not a member yet? Join the Green Room today and come aboard for this adventure and many more as we explore our shared Irish heritage together.