JOHNVILLE PICNIC, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA, AUGUST 1991

by Brian Mitchell, MAGI

We started and ended our tour in Saint John, with stops at Grand Manan, Miramichi and the Chatham Irish Festival, Bathurst, Perth-Andover and the Johnville Picnic (where residents and former residents, mainly of Irish origin, get together every August), Woodstock and Fredericton. A small Irish farming community was established at Johnville, 100 miles northwest of Saint John, from the early 1860s. For over 100 years the local community has held the Annual Johnville Picnic in early August, in which residents and former residents celebrate their roots

Image: Terry Spear (nee Gormley) of East Deerfield, Massachusetts, USA and Bernard Gormley of Johnville, New Brunswick, Canada carry Gormley banner at Johnville Picnic in August 1991. Their ancestors, Bernard and Biddy Gormley of Claudy, County Derry had sailed on J & J Cooke ship, Mary Ann, from Derry port to Saint John, New Brunswick in Spring 1852.