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The Irish
It would be difficult to attribute any one cause for those who came to Megantic County and St. Sylvestre from 1820 to 1845. However, for the Irish Catholics the main reason was likely economic, associated with crop failures and the consequent inability to feed large families or to pay their rent and tithes. Evictions also played a part in the departure of some. Despite the perpetual sectarian violence in Ireland, the Catholics were more inclined to stay and fight, rather than leave for political reasons.
For the Protestants, the primary reason for leaving was also economic and related to the rising population which could not be supported by sub-dividing already small farms. Most of the Irish Protestant families who settled in Megantic County and St. Sylvestre were family groupings of 3-6 brothers and newlyweds from such rural areas. The 1829 emancipation of the Catholics in Ireland may have contributed to the departure of some Church of England Orangemen, who could not accept emancipation against which they had fought so bitterly. As for the Presbyterians, in Ireland they were hated by the Catholics and Orangemen alike. Some may have simply become tired of the sectarian violence of which they oft times felt like double victims. However, these were probably secondary reasons which reinforced the main economic reasons for the departure of all the Irish groups.
The Church of English Protestants of Ireland who came to Megantic County and St. Sylvestre were largely of Ulster Scot origins. In their 220 year stay in Ireland, many of these Ulster Scots had converted from the Presbyterian faith to the Church of England. Even the Presbyterian Ulster Scots became Orangemen in Megantic County, alongside their Church of England neighbours. Past grievances seemed to be forgotten. However, for the Irish of all stripes, there was no escape from the Irish troubles. Irish Catholics and Protestant Orangemen were resettled together, now with an added dimension of French Catholics for neighbours.
Reference
Gwen Rawlings Barry, A HISTORY OF MEGANTIC COUNTY, Downhomers of Quebec's Eastern Townships, Evans Books, 1999, pp. 109-110-111-116.
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