At Home and Abroad

Streaming 8am & 1pm (Eastern Time) https://irishradio.ca Irish Irish Radio Canada on TuneIn or Radio Garden http://radio.garden/listen/irish-radio-canada/2BEvncKD Podcasts at irishradio.ca/podcast also on Spotify and Amazon In 1983 under the leadership of Farrell McCarthy, the Irish Canadian Cultural Association of New Brunswick was formed. Irish Festival Inc. was incorporated in 1984, and that year a large Celtic Cross was erected on the Island. It was dedicated to the memory of the immigrants who died and were buried on Middle Island in 1847. Ireland’s Ambassador to Canada, the Honorable Sean Gaynor, unveiled the cross and it was blessed by Most Reverend J. Edward Troy, Coadjutor Bishop of Saint John. Middle Island, in the Miramichi River, is located approximately 2km east of downtown Chatham and comes into view as one travels along Water Street going east. It lies between Beaubear’s Island to the west and Sheldrake Island to the east. In 1829 the Island consisted of 18 acres of “arable land”, while today, considering the natural erosion over the years, Middle Island has been reduced to approximately 15 acres. The ship Looshtauk was built at the shipyard of Lovett and Parker in Tynemouth Creek, near St. Martins, Saint John County, New Brunswick. It was launched on the 17th January, 1845 and was towed into the Saint John Harbour later that year. The official builder’s certificate shows: burthern: 630, 322/3500 tons, Master: John Thain, one deck and beams for a second deck; three mast; length from the inner part of the main stern to the forepart of the stern aloft is 137 feet two tenths, breadth in midship is 27 feet seven tenths, depth in hold at midship is 20 feet four tenths. She is a Carvel built ship, rigged with a standing bowsprit, square sterned, no galleries, a woman’s bust head. Subscribing owner is James Alexander of Saint John, New Brunswick, aforesaid merchant with 64 shares. In 1847, the peak year of the Great Potato Famine in Ireland, Capt. John Mount Thain was assigned to sail the Looshtauk from Liverpool to Quebec. He picked up his crew and, with their help, stocked the ship with the necessary supplies for an average five to six week voyage across the ocean. On 17 April 1847 four hundred and sixty-two passengers boarded the Looshtauk to begin a journey to Quebec.The last recorded sailing of the Looshtauk, according to Lloyds of London ship register, was in 1859 with J. McMillan as captain and W.I. Wilson as registered owner. The voyage was to Quebec.