Discover Our Story

The development of our project has been deeply rooted in community engagement and collaboration from its inception. There is a proud history of marking this important historic event in our community. The Peterborough Canadian Irish Club, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025, hosts a day-long Irish entertainment event each year. The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, engaging a diverse range of community groups and businesses, has proudly been a staple in Nogojiwanong-Peterborough for 21 years.

In 1975, a dedicated group of volunteers from the City and County of Peterborough organized a very successful “HOMECOMING ’75,” commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Peter Robinson Irish Emigration. This event laid the groundwork for future commemorations and fostered a strong sense of community pride and historical awareness. Reprints of the souvenir booklet are available through Trent Valley Archives.

In 2015, a committed group of individuals, including members of the Peterborough Canadian Irish Club (PCIC) and local historians, initiated discussions with the support of the County of Peterborough. Recognizing the significance of the upcoming 200th anniversary of the Peter Robinson Irish Emigration in 2025, these stakeholders convened to plan a commemoration befitting this historic occasion.

The journey towards this commemoration began with the organization of the Peter Robinson Festival in 2015, coinciding with the 190th anniversary of this emigration. This event, featuring educational displays and Irish entertainment at Morrow Park, saw active participation from various local heritage organizations. It laid the foundation for ongoing community involvement and collaboration over the ensuing years.

The arrival of the Peter Robinson settlers was marked in special ways in 1830, 1897, 1925 and 1927.

Green Routes by Rosemary McConkey,  published by Trent Valley Archives outlines aspects of the legacy of the Robinson settlers and expressed her hope that the community would properly mark the bicentenary.

Today, we hope to build a respectable bicentennial commemoration that invites the community to explore and understand its Irish Heritage.

Green Routes is available for purchase through Trent Valley Archives.

A key aspect of our commemorative efforts is the creation of Nine Ships 1825 Inc. Named after the nine ships that carried the Irish emigrants across the Atlantic in 1825. These ships, namely the Fortitude, John Barry, Resolution, Regulus, Albion, Star, Elizabeth, Amity, and Brunswick, were vessels of hope and new beginnings for about 2000 Irish emigrants. They embarked from Cobh, County Cork, and set sail towards what was then Lower and Upper Canada, ultimately landing in our region.

Nine Ships is a metaphor for all those who came from elsewhere and experienced similar support from friends and families, and in their new community.

The name Nine Ships 1825 serves as a tribute to the courage and resilience of these emigrants. It reflects the arduous journey they undertook and the significant impact their settlement had on the development of our local communities. By naming our project Nine Ships 1825, we honour the legacy of those who braved the unknown to build a new life in Canada, and we commemorate the foundational role their arrival played in shaping the identity and history of Nogojiwanong-Peterborough and the surrounding areas.

Through Nine Ships 1825, we aim to commemorate the enduring spirit of our ancestors and foster a deeper understanding of their experiences. This project not only serves as a reminder of our rich heritage but also as a beacon for future generations, highlighting the importance of community, resilience, and the shared journey that continues to unite us.

In 1825, nearly 2000 Irish immigrants, organized under the auspices of the British government, Wilmot Horton, and led by Peter Robinson, embarked from Cobh, County Cork, Ireland, on a journey to what was then Lower and Upper Canada. These brave families, totalling 234, were settled in the regions now known as Peterborough County, the City of Peterborough, and the City of Kawartha Lakes. It was a unique experiment – in two parts 1823 and 1825 – on the idea of whether significant British aid in supporting people leaving Ireland would prove economically viable. Although it did not meet the British government’s fiscal expectations, the scheme’s historical value is immeasurable. The Robinson Emigration was one of the most ambitious and well-documented efforts to support and subsidize emigration, with detailed records tracking every stage of the emigrants’ journey and settlement. It provides a unique glimpse into the experiences of the emigrants’ and the early challenges of immigration, setting a precedent for future policies and shaping the region’s demographic landscape.

The Peter Robinson Emigration was pivotal in establishing local communities in an area that previously had a sparse population. This emigration not only marked the beginnings of these communities but also had profound and lasting impacts on their development and character. The arrival of nearly 2,000 settlers significantly boosted the region’s population, catalyzing the development of Nogojiwanong-Peterborough as an administrative hub.

Remarkably, many descendants of the original settlers still live in the area today, contributing to the unique continuity of heritage. The places in Peterborough County, with names such as Douro, Ennismore, and Galway, bear testament to the enduring Irish legacy in the region. The bicentennial is an opportunity to reflect on this rich history and the enduring connection between these communities and their Irish roots.

Moreover, the we hope that the bicentennial can be an important occasion to reflect on the relationships between the early settlers and the Indigenous communities. The Peter Robinson Emigration is notable for the initial mutual respect and cooperation that developed between the Irish emigrants and the First Nations, as documented by contemporary writers and community narratives. By revisiting this period, we hope to have the opportunity to advance understanding and reconciliation, recognizing the shared histories and contributions that have shaped our community. The bicentennial of the Peter Robinson Emigration is not just a recognition of the past but reflects the diversity and resilience that continue to define our community today.

2025 promises to be an amazing year in the Peterborough and surrounding areas as we celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Peter Robinson Irish Emigration. The Peterborough Canadian Irish Club will also be celebrating its 50th Anniversary. Special thanks to the founders of The Nine Ships 1825 Inc. who are working extremely hard to organize the commemoration of the 200th Anniversary and assist organizations like ours provide information to the public both locally and abroad, about the events and activities planned. Our organization, The Peterborough Canadian Irish Club is planning to celebrate this very significant anniversary in various ways. The Club on August 1st, 2025 will be hosting a Gala Evening honouring the said anniversary which would feature dinner and dance, to be held at the new Canadian Canoe Museum in Nogojiwanong-Peterborough. A boat cruise is planned cruising down the Otonabee River with a guide providing the historical facts of the Peter Robinson Emigration. A plaque will be added to the stone at Millenium Park, Peterborough (installed at time of 150th Peter Robinson Emigration anniversary). The plaque will recognize the 50th Anniversary of The Peterborough Canadian Irish Club as well as the 200th anniversary of the Peterborough Robinson Emigration to Peterborough, Ontario. Members of the Club will also be volunteering to assist with activities planned by the Nine Ships 1825 Inc. throughout 2025.