Irish in Toronto

Today, I’ll be speaking with Father Dan Donovan. Dan is a priest of the Archdiocese of Toronto and taught at the Faculty of Theology at the University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto until his retirement in 2002. Since then, he has taught part time in the Christianity and Culture program at St. Michael’s. Some of you may know Father Dan from the Daily TV Mass where he performs ceremonies in front of online audiences numbering in the hundreds of thousands. 

Dan is second generation Irish in Toronto and in this chat, we discuss what it was like to grow up in Toronto as the son of an Irish police officer as well as Dan’s insight into the separation of the Catholic Church in Canada from the movement for Irish nationalism.

Email: [email protected] 

Con and Cathy welcomed me into their home and we had a wonderful chat about how they met in Cork in the 60s, what brought them to Canada, why they chose to make Toronto their permanent home among many other topics. 

A topic which may be of interest to many is Con’s ban from the GAA for playing soccer as a schoolboy in Cork in the 70s and how this affected him. 

We also had quite a meaningful conversation about something which comes up often on the podcast and that is Irish people’s relationship with alcohol. 

This was a great chat and could have gone on for hours. I really hope you enjoy it and as always, feel free to leave me feedback through email or social media. All my information is in the description of the show. 

In this episode, I speak with Karen McDermott. Karen is a realtor in Toronto who has helped hundreds of Irish people find accommodation in the city. Having moved to Canada from Monaghan at the age of nine, Karen speaks about her Irish-Canadian identity and the struggles she had assimilating as a child. 

We chat about Karen’s work in real estate and she gives advice to new Irish people moving to Toronto. 

Stay listening to the end as I put Karen through a quick-fire question round comparing Irish and Canadian traditions. 

David Wilson is a Professor working with the Celtic Studies Program at the University of St. Michael's College and with the Department of History at the University of Toronto as well as being the General Editor of the Dictionary of Canadian Biography. In this conversation, we discuss how he came from Whitehead, County Antrim to living in Seaton Village in downtown Toronto. 

Feel free to send me any feedback or questions at [email protected] 

This was a remarkable conversation with a good friend, bain taitneamh as! 

Maureen was born in Toronto but when her father decided to purchase a pub in his hometown of Drumshambo, Co. Leitrim, she along with her six siblings experienced what it was like to grow up as a child in Ireland.  At the age of 19, Maureen decided to come back to Toronto and has been living here ever since. Dancing is her passion and she chairs the Comhaltas branches of Toronto and Canada East. Maureen is at the heart of the Irish community in Toronto and this podcast would not have been complete without a chat with her. 

Bain taitneamh as. 

'Irish in Toronto' becomes 'Irish in Ottawa' for a special episode with John Boylan. John discusses his football career with his beloved Salthill Knocknacarra, his military background in the Irish Defence Forces as well as his stint in Australia before eventually coming to Ottawa in recent times. A fascinating conversation ranging from topics such as deployment in Western Sahara to raising a child of a diplomat in a foreign country. Bain taitneamh as! 

From Tipperary to Toronto, Ann talks about coming here in the 1970s to complete her studies and how she is still here nearly 50 years later. 

From Tyrone to Toronto, Seán Harte tells why he came here as an eighteen year old in 1974, what has kept him here and what are his plans for the future. 

From Carlow to Toronto. Peter tells us about the recession and what drove him to Toronto, why he's still here and his plans for the future.