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My Irish Famine Walk through Old MontrealJOE BEEF"S TAVERN
Photo #1 of the Irish Famine Walk I took yesterday, commemorating the plight of the Irish refugees to Canada in the summer of 1847. I'll start with the original location of Joe Beef's tavern. Charles McKiernan, born in Ireland, was given the nickname Joe Beef. He ran his famous waterfront tavern in this building from 1870 till his death in 1889. The tavern was well known to sailors and tramps, a source of food and shelter for the down-and-out. Joe Beef was famous for helping striking workers by providing bread and soup. He supported Lachine Canal workers during the strikes of 1877. Joe Beef was also famous for keeping a menagerie of wild animals in the basement. Made up of four black bears, ten monkeys, three wild cats, a porcupine and an alligator. Apparently he sometimes brought a bear up from the basement to restore order when patrons got too unruly.
 
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@Laurie McKeown