Chapter 1: The Promised Land
1848: Limerick, Ireland
Patrick Kennedy's crop had failed for the third consecutive year. He had heard about a land across the Atlantic where opportunity abounded, the English ruled, and where many of his fellow villagers had gone. The country was Canada. He therefore decided to take the next ship over.
August 10, 1848- Aboard the SS Guyana
"I hear we're landing somewhere called Montreal." "Apparently it has a French Catholic majority."
Sept. 3, 1848- Montreal
Patrick Kennedy stepped onto the pier and looked at his new home in Ville-Marie ward, near the docks and City Hall. It wasn't much, but it was an apartment in a relatively safe tenement. Occupied by poor French-Canadians and recent Irish immigrants, the building was a rowdy, boisterous microcosm of mid-century working-class life in downtown Montreal.
Dec. 20, 1848
Patrick was scouring for firewood to heat the apartment over the Christmas period, when he met a 22 year old woman named Brigitte Gregoire. After a brief conversation, Patrick discovers that he and Brigitte attend the same church. In fact, she's two pews ahead. He is instantly besotten, and they agree to meet again.
April 4, 1849: Patrick Kennedy and Brigitte Gregoire are married. He works on the docks, unloading cargo ships, while she is involved in parish activities.
June 30, 1853- Their first and only child, Patrick Joseph, is born.
Oct. 14, 1858- Patrick Kennedy dies of tuberculosis. Brigitte is left to take care of her son as a single mother.
June 1869- P.J. begins working on the port docks, in his father's footsteps.
July 10, 1873- P.J. Kennedy is approached by his uncle, Francois Gregoire. Francois, a longtime organizer for both the federal and provincial Conservatives, offers him a job in the organization, as his assistant. He eagerly accepts.
November 5, 1873- The Macdonald Government resigns due to the Pacific Scandal, Parliament is dissolved for a federal election on January 22, 1874.
January 22, 1874- Liberals win majority government, Alexander Mackenzie becomes Prime Minister.
March 14, 1874- P.J. Kennedy marries Marie-Claude Beaumont.
July 7, 1875- C.E.B. de Boucherville's provincial Tories are re-elected.
Aug. 12, 1875- Francois Gregoire dies at age 62. The organization appoints P.J. his successor as organizer in Montreal Centre.
Sept. 18, 1878- Macdonald's Tories form majority government, Sir John A. becomes Prime Minister for the third time.
Oct. 12, 1881- P.J. Kennedy is elected as the Ward Three alderman for Ville-Marie borough council.
May 20, 1886- P.J. acquires a small pub on Chemin St-Denis.
Apr. 20, 1888- P.J and Marie-Claude's only son, Joseph Patrice, is born.