Background – Irish Immigration to NL
Irish migrations to Newfoundland, and the associated salt provisions trade, represent the oldest and most enduring connection between Ireland and Canada. It was a substantial migration, peaking in the 1770s and 1780s when more than 100 ships cleared Irish ports for the Newfoundland fishery yearly. An increase in Irish immigration, particularly of women, between 1800 and 1835, and the related natural population growth, helped form and transform the social, demographic, and cultural character of Newfoundland.
The Mannion Collection – documenting Irish immigration and settlement in NL
For more than forty years historical geographer Dr. John Mannion and his wife Maura documented the history of Irish immigration to Newfoundland, cataloguing the names of over 7,500 Irish immigrants and perhaps 4 – 5 times that number not identified by place of origin in Ireland. The information was recorded mainly on some 87,000 index cards rich in historical, cultural, and genealogical detail most from the period spanning 1750 to 1850.
The index card Collection was held by the Mannions at their home and many persons from around the world interested in family history contacted the Mannions in search of information on their ancestors that might be contained in the Collection. Responding to the many enquiries was onerous, and understanding the uniqueness of the information and its tremendous value, the Mannions were anxious to share the material and make it readily available to all now and into the future.
Making the Collection readily accessible for all
Connections by those who carried out the initial development phase of the Collection were made between 2008 and 2013 and work began in 2015. A partnership was established between the Mannions, NL Statistics Agency (NLSA), of the Economics and Statistics Branch of Department of Finance, Dr. Sean Cadigan of Memorial University (MUN) and the Irish Newfoundland Connections (INC) and Newfoundland Irish Connections (NLIC) groups.
The partnership setup up a project team led by a senior statistician, specializing in historical data development, and a team of highly talented and dedicated data processing staff at the NLSA. The group worked for three years to transform the information on the 87,000 5”x 3” and 5”x 8” hand written index cards containing 4 – 20 names to a form that could be processed by a computer (a digitized dataset). An additional number of 8” x 11” and 8” x 14” sheets were scanned and remain to be processed for the material they contain.
The result of the work was over 160,000 scanned images of: 7,500 immigrants and probably 4 – 5 times that number not identified by place of origin in Ireland, parish, town, townland and county in southeast Ireland, 1,200 different Irish surnames, over 800 named places in Ireland and 700 different locations in Newfoundland and Labrador. We believe there is nothing quite like it for any other ethnic group in 19th – century English Canada. This information can now be quickly and easily searched and the resource is secure and available to current and future generations.
At the end of the funded work, Jamie Dower, who continues as an advisor to the new phases of development work, collaborated with the Mannions on a volunteer basis to ensure an intermediate Web-site was available. This ensured that data were accessible until current activities were organized and initiated which include the management and the developing of the initial site.
Major funding was provided by the Emigrant Support Program of the Government of Ireland, with additional amounts contributed by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. To date, approximately $1 million, cash and in-kind, has been spent developing the Collection (not counting the value of the resources and time used by the Mannion family to collect and document the information).
An extended partnerships and changing roles
This first phase of this initiative was mostly a technical exercise to transform the raw index card material into a digital dataset. The data development specialists at the NLSA worked with Dr. Cadigan who is an expert in historical research, data collection and relevant subject matter and Dr. and Mrs. Mannion who collected the material to complete this time consuming and complex process. Dr. Patrick Mannion, son of Dr. and Mrs. Mannion, who is very knowledgeable of the content of the Collection worked with Terry Quinlan at the NLSA, the lead statistician and technical architect of the digitization process, to interpret difficult material and ensure accuracy.
Now that the information has been converted, a second “sharing phase” has been undertaken. The emphasis has shifted from technical development to making the Collection available, promoting its value and wide variety of potential usages and to provide support to those who wish to use it.
The Town of Torbay
To carry out this new aspect, the original founding group has joined with the community of Torbay. The new Torbay History House & Museum will be the home of the Mannion Collection website and its data. The website will be hosted on the municipal server and research support and information will be provided through the museum’s archives.
History House will also be the home for future development (a third phase) of the Collection by hosting a technical team to extract additional information contained in the index cards and the unprocessed material and adding it to the existing searchable database. The work will be supported by Dr. Cadigan and a technical group who will transform the index card information.
By hosting the Mannion Collection, Torbay will become a centre of archival, genealogical, and tourism excellence related to Irish immigration to NL. It will provide enhanced digital infrastructure & capacity and secured long-term accessibility and sustainability. It will become a provincial destination for genealogy research and tourism related to our shared Irish heritage
The NLIC and the INC
The NLIC and INC groups are non-profit, community organizations dedicated to sharing and celebrating our Irish culture and connections in NL, Canada, Ireland and around the world. Their mission is to facilitate, develop, and promote cultural and historical experiences that recognize, celebrate and preserve the connection among the global Irish community and diaspora. Its three pillars are: celebrating Irish culture, promoting our historical roots and developing connections.
The organizations work independently of each other, but co-operatively, and follow the same path in their shared interest in culture, history, tourism and genealogy/family history. Through a dedicated NLIC sub-committee, they will work with the town of Torbay with a focus on genealogy promoting awareness of the Collection, tourism and stronger and broader local and international linkages. Together, these groups are ideally positioned to undertake the major role of advancing the use and sharing of the new resource and help maximize its benefit and value.
Advancing the public good and benefits of the Mannion Collection
The Collection is a major contribution to the public infrastructure of genealogical knowledge and tourism in NL and in Ireland, which has been recognized by the keen interest and significant Irish and Provincial financial investment in the project. The creation and sharing of the Collection are a substantial example of knowledge transfer from our post-secondary education sector to other areas in a way that promotes knowledge and awareness about our provincial heritage. It is an innovation where 40 years of scholarly research by Dr. and Maura Mannion has been transformed into a public good that informs on our heritage and culture and supports tourism and economic development of smaller communities and with potential for many additional purposes.
By hosting it, History House will provide opportunities and support for the travelling public to explore their personal connections to our heritage. Drawing people to Torbay, History House and the Collection will provide opportunities for people to explore related areas of interest on parts of the northeast Avalon (and beyond). The travellers from NL, Ireland and elsewhere will contribute to the economies of Torbay and many other communities across the province and in Ireland.
Minister Steven Crocker of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation, came to History House in July 2022 and was briefed by the Advisory Committee and discussed the Collection and its potential; subsequently Mr. Gerry Osmond, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Department also visited History House at the Minister’s request to discuss the project. An outcome of the discussions was that the Committee would work with the Department to find potential ways that its vast expertise and resources might further assist in advancing the work and to help ensure the public and communities benefit as fully as possible from the resource.
Further development of the Collection will provide learning opportunities for students and other training that will develop our human resource capacity in the heritage tourism sector. With additional development there is also potential for the material to be extended to support genetic research related to the Irish/NL population which could have medical and other benefits to people in NL, Ireland and world-wide.
Official launches in NL and Ireland
This innovative NL work will be formally launched and celebrated on August 26th at History House in Torbay and on September 5th in Cork City, County Cork, Ireland. The Irish Prime Minister will lead the official launch in Ireland and other senior officials and leaders will be in attendance, illustrating the importance and degree of interest in the Collection and its value. The list of participants in NL has not yet been finalized.
In Torbay and Ireland, the work will be introduced and demonstrated and Dr. Mannion will speak on the origins and progression of the Collection since it began in 1967. His recently published book, Waterford’s Maritime World: The Ledger of Walter Butler, 1750-1757 will also be highlighted at both events.
In Torbay, Dr. Cadigan will speak about his ancestry, which has Irish roots, and the value of the Collection for genealogical research and how it can stimulate tourism to Torbay and other communities throughout the province. Mr. Karl Sullivan, formerly from Calvert on the Irish Loop, will speak about the journey of his Irish ancestors and their historical migration from Ireland to settle in NL.
Drs. Mannion and Cadigan will also join Linda Swain on her hour-long radio show, On Target, on August 12th to talk about the Mannion Collection, its origins, and its unique contribution to Irish ancestry research and its current and future usage and benefits.
To enjoy and be amazed by the Mannion Collection go to mannioncollection.ca
Prepared by: Mannion Collection Development Advisory Committee
Mannion Collection Development Advisory Committee Members in Newfoundland and Labrador and Ireland
Jim Bradley
Director NLIC Board
IT & Tech Advisor
Sean Cadigan PhD
Project Advisor (Research)
Professor
Department of History
Memorial University
Jamie Dower
Project Advisor
Database and Web development and design
Alton Hollett
Project Advisor (Technical)
Assistant Deputy Minister (Retired)
Economics and Statistics Branch
NL Department of Finance
Wally Kirwan
Vice Chair, INC
Dublin, Ireland
Noah Morritt PhD (Candidate)
Project Lead
Manager of Heritage, Culture & Information Services
Torbay History House & Museum
Eamonn Murphy
Chair, INC
Dunhill Co. Waterford, Ireland
Conan Power
Communications, Marketing and Public Relations
Waterford City and County Council
County Waterford , Ireland
George Power
Project Committee Chair
NL Irish Connections
Terry Quinlan
Project Advisor
Statistical data development
Ralph Tapper
Chair, NLIC Board
Councillor, Town of Torbay