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Culture and Society Of Tignish
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Every community boasts a proud heritage, particularly in the area of culture and society. Tignish is no exception. Over the years, Tignish has hosted old-time concerts, fiddling for the Irish concerts, the Fisherman's Hornpike and many other gatherings and get-togethers. Tignish is proud of her vibrant culture, and we take this time to pay tribute to the various examples of the culture and society that make Tignish a very special place to live and visit.
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Music & Drama
Music and drama were once the main source of entertainment in
Tignish. Organizations, such as the Ancient Order of Hybernians, often put on
concerts for occasions like St. Patrick's Day and Christmas. These concerts
would fill to capacity the large buildings they were held in. It would not be until 1973 that the Tignish Drama
Club would take over responsibility for organizing these concerts. The
members of the Tignish Drama Club are all volunteers and any money they
receive from their performances goes to charities
or other organizations.
Music was played during concerts, but often there were musical contests.
Music was also played in locals' kitchens with a large gathering of guests.
A commonly used instrument was the fiddle. After the first P.E.I. fiddling contest in
Charlottetown, many communities started holding their own contests. These
contests usually had fiddling and step dancing (which was also a popular source
of entertainment) and attracted large crowds.
Ralph Arsenault of Tignish attended
the first PEI fiddling contest held
in Charlottetown in 1926.
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TRAIN WRECK, MARCH 30th, 1932
Written by Alec Shea
The worst P.E.I. did ever see
When freight Number two eleven
Was struck by Express fifty-three
'Twas Saturday night in mid-winter
A night that was stormy and drear
A freight enroute to Tignish
Rumbled on tho' danger was near
At last she got stalled in the cutting
Well into a thirteen foot bank
A mile and a half from the terminal
Some few hundred yards from the tank
Shovellers were called to relieve her
And bravely they strove in their fight
To release the stranded freight train;
At twelve-thirty they stopped for the night
Inside the small coach they crowded
Outside the storm did not abate,
They spoke of the regular express train
already several hours late.
The express with the two engines and snowplough
Came thundering on through the storm.
They stopped at the tank for water;
They proceeded but none thought of harm -
And then with a crash that was deafening
She split the freight cars right in twain.
Amid all the debris and wreckage
Men's bodies were found neath the train
The sorrowful scene that followed
Those at the wreck still do say
That they will never forget it
'Twill remain till their dying day.
A relief train was rushed to the rescue
With doctors and nurses and all
That could be done for the injured
Was done with all haste at the call.
There were Richards and Gavin and Murphy,
three men were as brave as can be;
How quickly their journey was ended
O'er life's long dark stormy sea.
Frank Murray, conductor, was injured,
Harold Harper, brakeman, was too;
But brave Jimmy Hessian, the driver,
He died, the sole one of the crew.
Some friends were there with him
and these words he did utter in pain
"I'm going to a new home
where I'll never touch throttle again."
Many homes are now filled with sorrow
That once were happy and bright;
The train wreck brought death and disaster
On that stormy Saturday night.
This story is told of a train wreck,
A sight that was gruesome to see
Four dead, and a dozen injured-
But it seemed it just had to be,
For Information on the Great Train Wreck Click Here
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The Breakwater Song
Written by Alec Shea
T'Was in the summer of 1931
When a bunch of Tories was working at the run,
They went on the job like a darn bunch of mules
And the first day they worked Oh they lost all the tools,
Over the wharf in the water.
Morrissey, the foreman, he looked pretty cross,
When somebody asked him if he was the boss,
but he forced them to dive for the tools that had lost,
Over the wharf in the water.
When they started to work again,
They fired all the best and they kept the old men
And old Jack Andrew, no better than a hen,
Was scratching on the new breakwater.
Old Jim Shea who tried to do his best,
He said he would work and wouldn't mind a rest,
But as bad as he was, Oh they say he was the best
That worked upon the new breakwater.
Big Jack Gavin was there also,
And he was as awkward as any old crow,
He would sit down and talk over days long ago,
While working on the new breakwater.
Long Jim Harper he worked there too
And he said it was because he had nothing else to do,
And he was awkward as any of the crew
that worked upon the new breakwater
Still the job is not done yet,
And the same old foreman I knew they would get,
For he was the worse they had there yet,
Since they're working on the new breakwater.
The following year of nineteen-thirty-two
Didn't Morrissey come back with the same old crew?
And he swore to his God he would see the job through
Working on the new breakwater.
They started again on the first of July,
and anyone who'd seen them would laugh till they cried,
For Aubain Eugene he choked eating pie,
Working on the new breakwater.
Frank S. Gaudet, he had an awful gall,
He tried the job last until next fall,
And Morrissey, he thought that they should have it all,
What was working for the new breakwater.
A few more notes that must be said
For J. Albert Brennan with old bald head,
He worked so hard now the poor man is dead,
Since he worked upon the new breakwater.
Also Hackett who needed work, of course
He sent them his son for to drive an old horse,
But he said if he could he'd prefer a better course
Than working upon the new breakwater.
T'Was something peculiar the people all say,
For the kept Alec Shea for only a day,
And then they sacked him and sent him away,
From working on the new breakwater.
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