An bhFuil Rún Agat dul go Canada? (1913-1914)
In the early 20th century, Ireland was undergoing significant social, economic, and political changes, and the Irish language, as well as the traditional rural way of life associated with it, was rapidly disappearing. The Gaeltacht regions, where Irish was still spoken as the primary language, were deeply impoverished and facing depopulation as people continued to emigrate.
To counteract this exodus, anti-emigration propaganda emerged in nationalist newspapers and novels in an attempt to dissuade Irish speakers from leaving their communities. Philip O’ Leary, discussing the literature of the Gaelic Revival notes:
“Lacking the educated Nationalists’ awareness of their priceless heritage and their own responsibility for its preservation, native speakers were deserting the Gaeltacht for the perceived economic and social opportunities of the cities. The challenge for the revivalists was, bluntly, how to keep them down on the farm. One response to that challenge was a flood of anti-emigration propaganda zeroing in on the hellish foreign cities that enticed the unsuspecting rural exile.” (1)
This uncoordinated campaign sought to depict North American cities as harsh and unforgiving, where Irish immigrants would lose their cultural and religious values. The stories of misery and hardship in foreign cities were strategically crafted to dissuade Irish speakers from believing that they could improve their lives by leaving their poverty-stricken communities.
An bhFuil Rún Agat dul go Canada? (1914)
Tá scéala a’ teacht ó Thorontó a rá go bhfuil 15,000 fear in easpa oibre sa bhaile thoir sin. Deirtear gur briseadh suas le 2,500 fear ar theacht don Nollaig agus ní bhfuair siad aon obair ó shin. Ba é geimhreadh 1907-1908 an geimhreadh ba mheasa tháinig sa tír sin leis na blianta, ach sáróidh an geimhreadh seo gach a dtáinig go fóill, más fíor a gcluinimíd. Tá na fir bhochta seo a’ siúl thart ina gcéadta gach lá ag iarraidh oibre agus gan í le fáil. Tá siad ag iarraidh ar chomhairle na cathrach oibreacha poiblí a chur ar bun faoina gcoinne.
Do You Desire to go to Canada? (1914)
News is coming from Toronto saying that 15,000 men are lacking work in that eastern city. It is said that 2,500 men were let go at the coming of Christmas and they hadn’t found any work since then. The winter of 1907-1908 was the worst winter that came in that country for years, but this winter will surpass all that came before, if it’s true what we hear. These poor men are walking around in the hundreds each day seeking work and without getting it. They are asking the city council to found a public works for them.
Montreál i nDrochdhóigh (1914)
Tá ganntanas uisce i Montreál le tamall agus mar gheall ar sin bhí eagla ar chách dá rachadh teach ar bith trí thine go ndéanfaí dochar mór. B’fhíor dóbhtha é. Chuaigh roinnt siopaí trí thine an lá eile agus i gceann uaire bhí suas le fiche teach scriosta dóite ag an tine. Bhí buíon múchta na dtine ann ach mar gheall ar easpa uisce is beag d’fhéad siad a dhéanamh.
Bhí tine mhór eile sa cheantar Francach fosta agus dódh cuid mhór tithe. Faoi dheireadh cuireadh píopa síos agus tugadh uisce ó abhainn Labhras Naofa míle ón áit agus múchadh na tinte. Deirtear gur scriosadh luach 750,000 dollar de thithe.
Montreal in a Bad Way (1914)
There has been a water famine in Montreal for a while and because of that everyone is afraid that if any house at all goes on fire that great harm would be done. True it was for them. Some shops went on fire the other day and in one hour up to twenty houses were burnt down by the fire. There was a fire brigade but because of the lack of water it’s little they could do.
There was another great fire in the French centre also and a great number of houses were burnt. Finally a pipe was put up and water was brought from the St. Lawrence River a mile from the place and the fires were extinguished. It is said that the value of $750,000 dollars of houses were destroyed.
Drochaimsir i gCanada (1913)
Tá 2,000 fear oibre díomhaoineach i mbaile mór Torontó. Tá na mílte fear gan greim a mbéal le fáil acu i Vancouver, agus ní bheidh faic oibre le fáil go leáfaidh an sneachta faoi Bhealtaine. Deir na páipéir laethúil gach uile lá linn go bhfuil obair agus tuarastal agus saol breá ag feitheamh le Gaeil thall - agus iníonacha na himpireachta le fáilte do chur rompu.
Bad Weather in Canada (1913)
There are 2,000 unemployed workmen in the big city of Toronto. Thousands of men cannot get a mouthful in Vancouver, and there will be no work available until the snow will melt in May. The daily papers say every day to us that there is work and pay and a fine life waiting for Gaels overseas - and daughters of the empire to welcome you.
Adapted from: NA. 1914. “An bhFuil Rún Agat dul go Canada?” An Claidheamh Soluis. Jan 31.
NA. 1914. “Montreál i nDrochdhóigh” An Claidheamh Soluis. Jan 10.
NA. 1913. “Drochaimsir i gCannada.” An Claidheamh Soluis. Nov 15.
For citation, please use: Ó Dubhghaill, Dónall. 2024. “An bhFuil Rún Agat dul go Canada?” Na Gaeil san Áit Ró-Fhuar. Gaeltacht an Oileáin Úir: www.gaeilge.ca
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O’ Leary, Philip. 1994. The Prose Literature of the Gaelic Revival, 1881–1921: Ideology and Innovation. Penn University Press: Pennsylvania. 411-412.
