06/15/2026
Why is there a Corktown in Toronto?
In 1847, Toronto had a population of about 20,000 people.
That same year, nearly 38,000 Irish refugees fleeing the Irish Famine arrived in the city.
Many settled east of downtown. So many came from County Cork that the neighbourhood became known as Corktown, a name that remains more than 175 years later.
Life wasn't easy. Many arrived with little more than hope for work and a chance to start again. They found jobs in breweries, brickyards, construction and other trades that helped build a growing Toronto.
Their legacy can still be seen today in places like the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse, Toronto's first free school, St. Paul's Basilica, and Little Trinity Church.
Corktown is more than one of Toronto's oldest neighbourhoods.
It's part of the story of how the city was built.
Have you ever explored Corktown?
