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. Anne's, Lot 65
One summer day in the year 1839, two emigrant vessels, the "Cornisbrook" and the "Agitator," sailed out of Belfast Harbour; they were bound for Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and freighted with human beings, exiles from the North of Ireland. These people with few exceptions were those who after a hardfought battle against oppression and starvation, had yielded to the inevitable and, bidding a long farewell to their childhood's home, had availed themselves of emigration as the only means by which they could earn bread for themselves and their children. A few there were however, who from love of adventure or the wish to join absent relatives in America had taken passage in the "Cornisbruk" or "Agitator" and they, more light of heart than those forced by cruel wrongs to leave their kindred and the dear old land, took a lively interest in the race sustained between the two vessels, a race in which the "Cornisbruk" came off victorious.
Among those emigrants of 1839, were several families who found their way to Township Sixty Five, then the property of Sir Samuel Cunard. These people were chiefly from the Barony of Truagh in County Monaghan, from the parishes of Carrickroe, Ballyoshea and Clara, from Tydavenet, Donagh and Clantubbret, with a few from Tyrone and Tyholland. They took up farms upon the Cunard estate in 1840. The terms granted by the landlord were, five years free, three years at three pence per acre, three at sixpence, three at nine pence, and then nine hundred and ninety nine [There appears to be some text missing at this point - DLM] acres in extent.
For three years the settlers in Sixty Five were obliged to go all the way to Charlottetown to hear Mass and to receive the sacraments, the journey leading them over very indifferent roads and being often difficult of accomplishment. The then priest of Charlottetown and his assistant Father De Breuth would sometimes come out and hold stations at the residence of Mr. Michael McCardill on the Line Road, of Mr. Martin Devereaux, on the Tryon Road, of Mr. Patrick Clerkin on the Bedeque Road, and of Mr. Patrick Murray (Little).
In 1850 the parishioners erected their church, upon land given for the purpose by Mr. Patrick Murray. They all worked hard at this pious enterprise, but none so hard nor so faithfully as Mr. Patrick Dougherty, an old gentleman "as Irish as St. Patrick and as catholic as St. Peter", who was chiefly instrumental in having St. Anne's constituted a separate mission. At the time of the building of the church in the adjoining of DeSable it had been suggested that the two missions should combine and build one large and handsome sanctuary, but Mr. Dougherty resolutely opposed this arrangement and he, Mr. McCardill, Mr. Patrick Clerkin, Mr. Francis Trainor, Mr. Patrick Murray and others, set to work with a will, to build their own church. The saw mill was fully two miles distant from the scene of the building operations, but it is Mr. Dougherty's boast that he constantly carried boards on his back from Dollar's mill to the church, in order to keep the carpenters supplied.
The church was not finished interiorly until Father Duffy's time, but it was opened for worship in 1851; the first mass being celebrated in it, by Mr. Debrenil on Tuesday 15th April 1851.
The people had worked hard at the erection of their church, and had effected a great deal in a short time. Father Reynolds, then mission priest, with charge of "Sixty Five" and DeSable, on calling at the setllement to see how matters were progressing, expressed himself highly pleased with the energy and despatch with which the work had been accomplished. As a reward for their zeal, he promised the people that if they would erect a temporary altar, either he, or his curate, Father DeBrenil, would come out and say mass for them the following Sunday. The promise was kept and the mass was offered by Father DeBrenil, and served by one old Mr. Barr then schoolmaster in the district.
The register of St. Anne's church states that "Rev. Mr. reynolds entered on the mission in this parish, on Ascension Thursday, May 29th in the year of our Lord 1851, and celebrated mass in St. Anne's chapel the same day. His successor, the Rev. James Duffy, entered on the mission on the 14 March 1859 and celebrated his first mass in St. Annes chapel on Sunday the 10th April 1859."
On the 28th July 1855 St. Anne's church and burial ground were blessed by the right Reverend Bernard Donald MacDonald, Bishop of Charlottetown.
The parochial house of St. Anne's was built in 1859, the contract was let on the 9th made to Patrick Began, and the building completed in the following September. Father Duffy was parish priest at the time. After the death of Father Duffy, which occured in Charlottetown on 1st December 1860, Father Reynolds resumed the charge of St. Anne's until 1867, when Rev. P. Doyle took charge of the mission. In 1876 Father Doyle removed to Summerside, and Rev. Felix Von Blerk succeeded him, he in 1877 was succeeded by Rev. James Aeneas MacDonald. Father Reynolds and Father Duffy were the only priests who ever made their home at St. Anne's, the others all resided in the adjacent mission of St. Joseph, DeSable, from which St. Anne's is served.
The old people of the place tell that Father Duffy imported the first waggon ever seen in the settlement, prior to its arrival, wheels were unknown, Father Reynolds, during his first occupancy of the mission went about on horseback, while the settlers carried all their loads by means of creels. The visitor to St. Anne's mission will glean from the older settlers many interesting anecdotes of the hardships endured by them in the early days of their existence as colonists. No less interesting is the conversation of these people when diverted into the charmel of reminiscences of their old home, of Monaghan, where many of them knew the brillian Gavan Duffy in his boyhood days; of Erign Truagh with its romantic legends, its ghost haunted graveyards and its football grounds, where the tenants of Colonel Ancatell and of the Murtraghes and Captain Singleton were rivals on practice day only to form a grand coalition team when a match was played, and they were called to confront their hereditary foes the clubs of Tydavenet and Tyrone.
Those who have emigrated more recently have brought wonderful stories of the way in which the people in the old home now celebrate the grand festivals of the Assumption and St. Patrick. All persons who can possibly attend, from every parish in the county meet in Monaghan town, where a grand procession, called in these parts a "walk" is formed. The "boys" turn out in green sashes and caps, the "Colleens" in green ribbons. After attending high mass, they march through the town, to the stirring notes of many brass bands and then separate to their respective villages of Ballyoshen, Carrickroe, Clara, Tyholland, Tydavenet, Dundalk, Calcachen, Ross Lea, and Sunnyvale. Each village has its brass band, drawn by four horses, and its gorgeous banner, "but" said my informant, "sure there is ni-one among them all that can conmpare to the one wid the mottoe," Truagh for ever, and the sky above it. Och, that was the rale beauty and its the truth I'm telling ye, and no descindant of a lie about it.
Very loyal to the old sod is the population of St. Anne's mission, very true to the good teachings of their dear Father Moynagh, who trained most of them in the paths of religion and morality.
Go where they may, these people of St. Anne's mission retain their character for honesty, integrity and industry. It is not surprising then, that Providence should have blessed their efforts to provide for themselves comfortable homes. Many difficulties lay in their path, but they took them philosophically, believing the words of their gifted countryman that: "Shadows deck a sunny landscape, making brighter all the bright." One of the darkest "shadows" in the landscape of Sixty Five was the wild ruggedness of the steep hills that presented such an implacable front against the agricultural overtures.
It is told to illustrate the steepness of these hills, that one night a worthy farmer retired to rest, leaving a well loaded sleigh standing at his door, ready for transportation to town the following morning. In the night the wind rose and drove the sleigh down the hill with such velocity that it ran up the one opposite, and when morning dawned it was discovered at a distance of nearly a mile from its place of starting.
These hills however have been made as verdant as the valleys, and the farms which have ambitiously climbed them are smiling in prosperity. Mr. Patrick Dougherty has erected barns which are second to none in the Island, except of course the magnificent outbuildings at Glenaladale, and he and many of his countrymen rejoice in the possession of cheerful and comfortable homes.
First Settlers of St. Anne's
Mission Township Sixty Five
Thomas Murray (from Tydavenet)
Patrick Murray (Little) (from Truagh)
Patrick Murray (Mlior) (from Truagh)
Peter McGonnell (from Monaghan)
Hugh McGonnell (from Monaghan)
Patrick Murray (Thresher) (from Truagh)
John Callaghan (from Tydavenet)
Patrick Murphy (from Clan Tubbret)
Andrew Hagan (from Tyholland)
Frank Trainor (from Donagh)
Patrick Trainor (from Donagh)
Patrick Clerkin (from Tydavenet)
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