Roman Catholics and Orange-Catholic

Irish Catholics: The Olivers belonged to the Orange Order, which was militantly anti-Catholic, according to Guelph Mercury. The Coghlins were Roman Catholics; "Papists," as the Orangemen derisively called them. They were not friendly neighbours. The Orange-Catholic conflict in Ireland was centuries old, and when Irish immigrants came to Canada, many brought religious intolerance with them. In October 1843, Irish Catholics in Guelph lit a bonfire in the town square to celebrate the release from prison of Irish patriot Daniel O'Connell. Sectarian strife smouldered in Guelph, as it did in many communities in what is now Ontario. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.