Politician. He was considered the "Father of Canadian Confederation" as well as an author and a devote Catholic. Born in Carlingford, County of Louth, in Ireland, he emigrated to the United States in 1842. There, in Providence and later in Boston, he became journalist. Later, he went to exercise the functions of parliamentary columnist for London papers. Although at first strongly anti-British, he changed his opinion and advocated the fidelity to the British system. After returning to Ireland, he married. His involvement in the Irish Confederation and Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 resulted in a warrant for his arrest, thus he escaped disguised as a priest, returning to the United States. In the Spring of 1857, he came to Canada and, in 1858, was elected representative of the city of Montréal to the Parliament. In and out of that chamber, he favored the union of the British provinces of North America. He was reelected successively in 1861, 1862 and 1863. From 1862 to 1867, he took various ministerial charges in the Macdonald-Sicotte and the Macdonald-Belleau cabinets. He participated in the two constitutional conferences of Charlottetown and Québec in 1864. After the birth of the Canadian Confederation, he was elected conservative representative of Montréal-Ouest to the House of Commons in 1867. He was assassinated on April 6, 1868, in Ottawa, while returning home after a session of the House. He was given a State Funeral. His assassin, Patrick Whelan, an Irish nationalist, was located, convicted with circumstantial evidence and sentenced to be hung. Although lost for many years, the gun used in his assassination was eventually bought in 2005 at auction for $105,000 by the Canadian Museum of Civilization
Cenotaph here
Cenotaph here
Politician. He was considered the "Father of Canadian Confederation" as well as an author and a devote Catholic. Born in Carlingford, County of Louth, in Ireland, he emigrated to the United States in 1842. There, in Providence and later in Boston, he became journalist. Later, he went to exercise the functions of parliamentary columnist for London papers. Although at first strongly anti-British, he changed his opinion and advocated the fidelity to the British system. After returning to Ireland, he married. His involvement in the Irish Confederation and Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 resulted in a warrant for his arrest, thus he escaped disguised as a priest, returning to the United States. In the Spring of 1857, he came to Canada and, in 1858, was elected representative of the city of Montréal to the Parliament. In and out of that chamber, he favored the union of the British provinces of North America. He was reelected successively in 1861, 1862 and 1863. From 1862 to 1867, he took various ministerial charges in the Macdonald-Sicotte and the Macdonald-Belleau cabinets. He participated in the two constitutional conferences of Charlottetown and Québec in 1864. After the birth of the Canadian Confederation, he was elected conservative representative of Montréal-Ouest to the House of Commons in 1867. He was assassinated on April 6, 1868, in Ottawa, while returning home after a session of the House. He was given a State Funeral. His assassin, Patrick Whelan, an Irish nationalist, was located, convicted with circumstantial evidence and sentenced to be hung. Although lost for many years, the gun used in his assassination was eventually bought in 2005 at auction for $105,000 by the Canadian Museum of Civilization
Cenotaph here
Cenotaph here
Bio by: Guy Gagnon
Inscription
IN MEMORY OF
THOMAS D'ARCY McGEE
THE MOST ELOQUENT VOICE OF
THE FATHERS OF CONFEDERATION
BORN IN CARLINGFORD, COUNTY LOUTH, IRELAND
MAY 13, 1825,
ASSASSINATED IN OTTAWA,
APRIL 7th, 1868.
CONSUMMATUS IN BREVI EXPLEVIT TEMPORA MULTA
TRIBUTE OF ST. PATRICK'S SOCIETY, MONTREAL 1948
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