Book Signings, Talks, Via Rail, and Kingfisher Bay

During February and March, 2025 I completed book signings

and talks for The Peter Robinson Experiment in British Columbia

and Ontario. At the Norwood Town Hall, many of those who attended

my talk are descendants of the Peter Robinson group of 1825 who settled in the

Asphodel-Norwood Township, and are either related to my family, or have

been family friends and neighbours for years. Meeting everyone and presenting

information about Leaving Ireland was such an enjoyable and memorable experience.

Later, I was particularly pleased to meet with the Irish Research Group

in Ottawa because, while my ancestors participated in the Peter Robinson

experiment of 1825, it was due to the bravery, determination, and success of the

500 Irish who participated in the first phase of the scheme in 1823 and

relocated to the Ottawa area that made the second phase possible.

As expected, while travelling and attending the events, I met new

people and learned about their lives. One morning, at the Via Rail depot

in Toronto’s Union Station, I chatted with two sisters who were on their

way home after a holiday in Mexico. While having a fun and interesting

conversation, I learned that they host music festivals near Sudbury and

that the music styles are quite varied. I look forward to attending one of

their festivals one day. Of course, I told them about the purpose for being

on my way to Ottawa, gave them one of my cards, and later received a

wonderful message telling me that they had purchased a copy of my book

and really enjoyed reading the story. 

At a book signing in Peterborough, Ontario I spoke to a man who told me about his Retreat Centre, called the Kingfisher Bay Retreat on Stoney Lake. Having never visited the Centre,

I am not qualified to review it, but the descriptions, photos and reviews on its website are quite impressive.   

            ‘Kingfisher Bay Retreat is a not-for-profit organization which offers a unique and

welcoming atmosphere, surrounded by the beauty of tall pines, peaceful waters, and

abundant wildlife.’  (the Kingfisher Bay Retreat website)

At this point, my next event in Ontario will be in Douro on July 4 to 6, 2025