St. Patrick's Society of Montreal

The St. Patrick's Society of Montreal (French: Société Saint-Patrick de Montréal) is the oldest fraternal organization in Canada. In existence since March 17, 1834, it predates the Société Saint-Jean Baptiste by three months. The St. Patrick's Society continues to be a leader in Montreal's Irish community, organizing such annual events as the St. Patrick's Ball, the St. Patrick's Luncheon, and the St. Patrick's Society's annual Christmas concert. The Society's current President is Ken Quinn. There is evidence of Irish immigrants in Quebec as far back as the 1760s. The first St. Patrick's Parade was organized by Michael O'Sullivan in 1824. By 1834, a group of notable businessmen gathered to form what is now known as the St. Patrick’s Society of Montreal, founded on March 17, 1834 at McCabe’s Hotel in Old Montreal. The first executive officers of the Society were President John Donnellan, Vice Presidents Hon. Michael O'Sullivan, Benjamin Holmes, and Thomas A. Begley, Treasurer John M. Tobin, Corresponding Secretary S. Sweeney, and Recording Secretary H. McGregor, who were supported by twelve committee members. Many involved were longstanding leaders of the community. In the March 20, 1824 edition of the Canadian Spectator mention is made of M. O'Sullivan Esq being in the chair at a Hibernian Society dinner. O'Sullivan is reported to have expressed how shameful it was that "St. Patrick's Day had never before been met with a public celebration". In the 1831 Montreal Almanack John Donnellan is listed as President of the Montreal Hibernian Benevolent Society. The Society was not a political organization, but was largely charitable and national in purpose, and was principally social and educational. However, it was founded mainly by Irish Protestants in the spring of 1834 in order to oppose the 92 Resolutions sent by Lower-Canadian Louis-Joseph Papineau's Patriotes to the British Government. In that sense, loyalty to the Crown was central to the founding of St. Patrick's Society. The Society was at first non-sectarian.