It is a cold June, like winter in Summer as the Fire Festival of Summer Solstice approaches at Tea at Tympani Lane Records.
A spoken word reading is happenning in St. Louis Square on Saturday, June 20th, 2015, it is an "Open Poetry Call", anyone may
attend and read their poetry.
Review: "Haunted Downtown" Montreal Ghost Walking Tour
with Donovan King and Nicola O'Dwyer
Be afraid, be very afraid . . . fact can be stranger than fiction and the
history of ghosts in downtown Montreal is fascinating. On a cool night in
Summer, a group of us met for a walking tour at St. Andrew’s Pub on Guy Street
in Montreal. Donovan King and his assistant Nicola O’Dwyer, are dressed entirely
in black and Donovan in black makeup. We head across the street and Donovan
magically falls into character, assuming the accent of a Swedish doctor,
introducing himself as Professor Dr. Beebblebock and his lovely research
assistant, Liv O’Dwyer. What follows is the modern day manifestations of
ghosts/paranormal activity and a history of the spellbinding historical events
that trigger them amongst the stunning stonework architecture of downtown
Montreal.
Beginning with the haunting of St. Andrew’s Pub . . . first there is an awful
gunpowder smell, then of a night, if you look in the mirror over the bar, an
horrific apparition of a bloody headless man appears. It is believed the man was
James MacDonald, a patron at the bar who was gunned down by the Irish Mafia.
Next, on the tour is the Grey Nun’s Motherhouse that was purchased by Concordia
University for $18 million and turned into a dormitory. The spectacular
architecture, high ceilings, tall windows and huge rooms is impressive. One
student complained of mysterious noises and was haunted by nightmares of the
trampling sounds of panic stricken people as if they were trying to escape. On
Valentine’s Day in 1918, there was a fire in the orphanage on the top floor and
dozens of children were burned alive, they managed to contain the fire but the
children were lost. The student moved from the room and has not been bothered by
nightmares since. There is the story of the “murderous cross” painted red on the
corner of the Grey Nun’s residence, hauntings by demons, the ghost of a
beautiful woman that appears at a nightclub that was formerly a funeral parlor,
Mark Twain’s only paranormal experience at the Old Windsor Hotel, the stories
around the cholera cemeteries at Dorchester Square and Place Canada amongst
others. As the evening descends into night, the stories are told as we walk
around the beautiful downtown architecture (the old fashioned stone work and
casements of heritage buildings) and wonder at the horrific historical events.
Although we did not see any ghosts this night, it is rumored of a night, and a
particular cast of moonlight can cause the ghosts to walk.
“Haunted Downtown” walking tour a spectacular event in downtown Montreal.
Love,
Rebecca