Cheers to Devlin for Mount Royal

With the controversy concerning the closing of the road over Mount Royal, and with the Montreal Irish season upon us, perhaps we should take a moment to remember the contribution to the city of Montreal by another long-forgotten Montrealer of Irish descent — Bernard Devlin.

Devlin was a lawyer, a president of the St. Patrick Society of Montreal, an adviser to Abraham Lincoln, a contemporary of D’Arcy McGee, among many other activities to his credit.

However, one of his greatest efforts was that, from 1863 to 1870, Devlin — as a member of Montreal city council — proposed the establishment of Mount Royal Park on the mountain in the heart of the city.

He fought hard for about eight years, and finally succeeded in having his scheme adopted in 1876. As a result, Montreal has one of the most beautiful public parks in North America.

Then, as city lawyer, his negotiations saved thousands of dollars in the land expropriation needed for the park.

When, as a city councillor, he first proposed his plan for Mount Royal, he faced fierce opposition from his fellow council members. The problem (identical in some ways to efforts to build a park around the Black Rock) was one of land ownership and the costs to purchase the land.

Devlin wanted to acquire more land for the park, but met with a level of shortsightedness by the city council of the day. Still, there is no doubt that, without his perseverance, Montrealers would simply not have our great mountain landmark in the city.

So as Montreal celebrates its Irish contributions, remember to raise a glass to Bernard Devlin.

Fergus Keyes, director, Montreal Irish Monument Park Foundation