Grosse Ile: Island of Hope and Sorrow for the Irish

Hear the story of Grosse Ile, Canada's Ellis Island and the largest burial ground for refugees of the Great Hunger outside Ireland. The island is preserved as a place of memory to honor the immigrants who traveled to Canada during the 19th and early 20th centuries, in particular the Irish who died during the Great Hunger in 1847. It is believed that over 3,000 Irish died on the island and over 5,000 are currently buried in the cemetery there as many died en route. Most who died on the island were infected with typhus, which sprang up from the conditions there in 1847. Martin and Lynda Lyden will discuss the tragic story of the island and the events that occurred there.