A Great Day to be Irish!

CELEBRATE! It’s time to celebrate; time to embrace who we are and where we came from………….and that’s exactly what we did. MIDDLEVILLE AND DISTRICT MUSEUM had it’s seasonal Opening Tea on Sunday May 19, 2019.

People were swept back into the past during a day of ongoing activity. Featured was the “Irish Immigrants of Lanark Township. Displays were set up to give visitors and insight into the lives of our Irish ancestors; what brought them here, how they arrived and what they experienced once they got here.
​
​Guest speakers from various families gave their personal accounts gleaned from their family archives. Thorpe Moulton advanced us through 953 years of their family history from his military ancestor Sir Thomas De Moulton who fought with William the Conqueror in 1066 to William Moulton who was heralded for saving numerous lives when he was sent by the British Navy to round up the mutineers of the “Bounty” in 1791 and on to where their family is today in the farming community of Lanark Highlands.

 Gerald Tenant talked about the rich history of his family and significant contribution they made to the settlement of the Highlands of Lanark.

Doris Quinn gave us a preview of what can be expected in her upcoming book about the early Quinn Settlement around Boyd’s and Ferguson Falls.

We were entertained in the morning by Irish fiddling from a group of musicians who share their common interest and meet together on a regular basis in Middleville. In the afternoon our toes were kept tapping by another group called “Fiddlers and Friends”. They are a group who meet regularly in Maberly to enjoy their united passion for the art of fiddling.
​
We certainly celebrated in style but the celebration is not over. We will continue our Irish focus for the rest of the summer. Don’t let that stop you from coming if you have Scottish or English heritage because we have lots for you too. Our next big event will be Family History Day on June 23, 2019. If you want to find out more about us go to our facebook page or sign into middlevillemuseum.blogspot.com. Looking forward to seeing you.

Sharon Stead