Saint-Malachie

Saint-Malachie
Parish municipality
Motto:  Hospitality. Pride. Perseverance.
Location within Bellechasse RCM.
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Chaudière-Appalaches
RCM	Bellechasse
Constituted	June 1, 1874
Government
• Mayor	Donald Therrien
• Fed. riding	Lévis—Bellechasse
• Prov. riding	Bellechasse
Area
• Total	103.20 km2 (39.85 sq mi)
• Land	100.61 km2 (38.85 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	1,489
• Density	14.8/km2 (38/sq mi)
• Pop 2006-2011	5.8%
• Dwellings	800
Postal code(s)	G0R 3N0
Area code(s)	418 and 581
Highways	R-216 R-277
Website	www.st-malachie.qc.ca

Saint-Malachie is a village of about 1,500 people in the Bellechasse Regional County Municipality, part of the Chaudière-Appalaches administrative region. The Etchemin River goes through the municipality.

History

St. Malachie was colonized by the Irish and Scottish shortly after the War of 1812. The land was given to several British soldiers in the eastern part of the township of Frampton along the Etchemin River.

The land was then given to Gilbert Henderson (1785-1876) who later became the major landowner in this area.

The first settlers came mostly from Armagh, a religious town in Northern Ireland. The town was named St.Malachy after the Arch Bishop of Armagh.

The town was civilly erected in 1874, and would later give its name to the municipality of Saint-Malachi-de-Frampton (Frampton Township), but changed once more to St. Malachie in 1948.

Culture

Symbolism in the Coat of Arms:

The color yellow primarily used in the piece represents Saint-Malachie’s dominant industry, which is agriculture (the farming of poultry, dairy, beef and pork products). The two croziers symbolize St. Malachy himself. St. Malachy (1094-1148), the namesake of the municipality, was the Archbishop of Armagh, Ireland. The toad in the coat of arms is representative of the municipality’s history, referring to the toad (crapaud in French) infestation of 1873. The toad infestation of 1873 gave rise to the name La Crapaudière, a mountain in the area that was particularly effected by the toad invasion. Finally the shamrocks symbolizes the Irish roots of Saint-Malachy’s pioneers.

Geography

St. Malachie is surrounded by Tough Creek and the South Etchemin River, among other bodies of water and lakes. In season, it is a great spot to go hunting and go fishing, most notably for speckled trout.

Community

The small population is renowned for its agriculture and parishes.

One resident of Saint-Malachie is international artist Viviane Gruais Domenge. She paints using mixed media and has had exhibitions in France, Belgium, Italy and across Canada. She paints mostly abstract nature scenes that have been shown around the world.

(http://artzoomconnection.com/vivianeg/)