Catholic Parishes in PEI (c. 1885) by Rev. Alfred E. Burke
Please see the Contents page for information on this and other historical sketches of PEI Roman Catholic parishes, as compiled by Father Alfred Burke circa 1885.
The Mission of St. Patrick, Fort Augustus
Directly opposite to Portage where the emigrants of the "Alexander" disembarked a magnificent elevation of land, running back from the river into an open and fertile country, is known as the Parish of Fort Augustus.
The first settlement of this district took place in 1830, and was in this wise. The second son of Captain John MacDonald of Glenaladale, the Rev. John MacDonald, was for five years after his ordination, a priest in Glasgow, Scotland, under Bishop Scott. In his charge were a number of Irish families, who, driven from their country by the poverty engendered of persecution, had sought and found employment in Glasgow mills and factories. These people were chiefly from the counties of Down, Derry and Antrim with a few from Monaghan.
Their situation in a heretical country was fraught with much danger in their faith. From the time of Oliver Cromwell to the beginning of the present century a priest was a rarity in that part of Scotland, and so late as the year 1814, the corner stone of St. Andrew's church was laid, the first church built in Glasgow since Scotland apostalized.
The little colony of Irish, unaccustomed to the ways of the place and the people were therefore much exposed to danger. Father John MacDonald not unnaturally thought that they would be much better off were they to emigrate to Prince Edward Island, and as the southern part of his father's estate had fallen to his share, he offered to take them as tenants upon it, giving them holdings at one shilling sterling an acre for nine hundred and ninety years, each head of a family to pay money proportionate to the value of the property as signed to him on his arrival. After long cogitation his offer was accepted, and on the 4th April 1830 the "Glasgow Irish" set sail from Greenock in the good ship "Corsair," their future landlord being a fellow passenger. They landed in Charlottetown on the 19th May after a six weeks voyage, having lost one passenger, an old man who was swept overboard from the foremast area and drowned. These emigrants were placed by Father John on that part of the Parish of Fort Augustus called the "Settlement of the Five Houses" from the fact of there being there the remains of five old houses built in the time of the French occupation of the country. Like many others attracted by Utopian visions of a land flowing with milk and honey, these "Glasgow" Irish had great expectations of the country to which they were coming, and when they found it to be anything but a Canaan their discontent was loud and furious. They were for the most part utterly inexperienced in Agricultural matters, and to subdue the wild forests frowning around them appeared to be a task above their knowledge or their strength. For the first [one word illegible - DLM] years, they suffered greatly from cold and want, then experience taught them, and the wilderness gave place to farms that are to-day in a high state of cultivation. As a large portion of Father JOhn MacDonalds estate remained unoccupied, he entered into correspondence with the Rev. Patrick Moynagh P.P. of Donagh, County Monaghan, with a view to induce that clergyman to send him a band of emigrants from that county.
The description given was alluring, (perhaps too much so) and the worthy pastor of Donagh on a large number of his flock to try their fortune in the new world; these people all settled in Fort Augustus. The parishioners numbering about sixty families contributed generously, according to their means towards the building of the first church which was commenced in the year 1837. The first collection in aid of the church was taken up by Peter Duffy and James MacDonald and amounted to 15. It was paid to one Hennessey for thirty acres of land, to which twenty more were added; the present pastor recently purchased four acres, making the church property in Fort Augustus fifty four acres in all.
This pioneer church was never fully completed. Previous to its erection mass was celebrated in the mission once or twice a year first by Bishop McEachern, and afterwards by the Rev. Charles MacDonell, the station was usually held at the house of one James MacDonald. The present church, which is of brick was built in 1869 when the Reverend Thomas Phelan, residing at Tracadie, had charge of the mission, Mr. John Corbett being the Architect.
The dimensions of the church are one hundred and two feet in length by forty five feet in width.
It was not completed ineriorly until 1881. In 1882 a very fine altar built by Mr. Thomas Raymond, was placed in the church. The altar has recently been painted and the interior of the Sanctuary frescoed by Mr. L. Edwardes, who also painted the wood work of the church. The ceiling which is in the gothic style, rests upon pillars that are an excellent imitation of malachite.
The windows painted to represent stained glass, are done with considerable skill. A very fine statue of the titular saint of the parish, St. Patrick, stands above the high altar. Altogether this church of St. Patrick is one of which the parish may feel proud.
In 1870 the Rev. Angus MacDonald went to reside at Fort Augustus, and daring his pastorate, the exceedingly spacious and handsome brick presbytery was built. The cemetery which is in excellent order, contains a mission cross commemorating the visit of the Redemptorist Father to the Parish in 1884.
For many years Fort Augustus was attended by the Rev. James Brady, who, until 1860 gave the people mass every fourth or fifth Sunday. From 1860 to 1870 Father Thomas Phelan served the mission, he was succeeded by the Rev. Angus MacDonald who was the first resident priest of Fort Augustus, he in 1876, was replaced by the Rev. N.C.A. Boudreault, who remained there one year, when he gave place to the Rev. Allan MacDonald who is the present highly esteemed pastor of the mission.
When viewed from the opposite side of the Hillsborough, or from the sunny heights around the church, the country bears small trace of the wild state in which the ancestors of its present prosperous farmers first saw it.
Waving grain, fragrant clover and tempting orchards are on all sides. Truly the desert has blossomed like the rose. This, however, has been accomplished at the cost of hard labour, manfully performed, and acute sufferings bravely endured. People coming from the mild climate of Ireland to the vigourous one of Canada totally ignorant of what was before them, improvided with the furs and woollens necessary to keep out the cold, and inexperienced in the art of farming, which art was to be their sole protection from starvation, were not likely to have had an easy life, yet they conquered their difficulties and prospered exceedingly, partly, perhaps by means of the sunny disposition that helps most Irishmen and women to bridge their troubles with a laugh. One old gentleman who went through it all, relates many anecdotes of the trials of these early days, some of them rather comical.
One story tells how on a summer evening two of those early settlers were sorely persecuted by mosquitoes, one of them, worn out with attacks from the small but sprightly enemy, hid his head under his handkerchief, his companion spying a firefly and not recognizing its place in the insect world, called out, "give up Mike, me boy, its no use for you to be hidin your head; here's one of the bastes come to look for you, wid a lantern."
How so Irish a settlement came to possess so un-Irish a name is a source of wonder to many; the probability is that the proprietor called it after Fort Augustus in Invernesshire. Fortunately for their Canadian Fort Augustus, there is not much in a name, not even the ill sounding. Hanoverian Cognomen has not retarded the progress of the beautiful district, now the home of prosperity, peace and plenty.
First Settlers of the Mission of
St. Patrick
Fort Augustus
Bernard Heron
Peter Duffy
Bernard Sweeney
James Brogan
Peter O'Hara
John Haggarty
Peter McGill
William Kelly
John Kelly
James Gillan
Edward Kelly
Thomas Logan
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