Joe Beef facts for kids
Charles McKiernan (born December 4, 1835, in County Cavan, Ireland; died January 15, 1889, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada) was a famous Irish-Canadian man. He owned a popular tavern and inn in Montreal. He was also known for being very kind and helping people in need.
Contents
Who Was Joe Beef?
Charles McKiernan earned the nickname "Joe Beef" during his time in the British Army. He was a Quartermaster, which meant he was in charge of finding food and supplies for his soldiers. During the Crimean War, whenever his army group was low on food, McKiernan was always able to find meat and other provisions. This is how he got the name "Joe Beef."
He came to Montreal around 1864 with his army group. After becoming a Sergeant, he managed the main army cafeteria on Saint Helen's Island. In 1868, he left the army and opened "Joe Beef's Tavern." This inn and tavern quickly became famous across North America. It was located in what is now Old Montreal.
A Tavern for Everyone
Joe Beef welcomed everyone to his tavern. He once told a reporter that he would serve "no matter who he is, whether English, French, Irish, Negro, Indian, or what religion he belongs to." Every day, hundreds of workers, people without homes, and others from Montreal society came to his door.
Most of his customers were working-class people. These included canal workers, dock workers, sailors, and former soldiers like McKiernan himself. For the working people of Montreal, Joe Beef's tavern was a very important social place. The neighborhood, Griffintown, didn't have public parks back then. So, daily fun activities happened at Joe Beef's Canteen.
Joe Beef had his own strong beliefs. He didn't follow any specific religion. He often printed his ideas on flyers. He believed in helping people directly rather than focusing on churches or kings.
Joe Beef's Amazing Animals
Joe Beef was famous for keeping many animals at his tavern. He had four black bears, ten monkeys, three wild cats, a porcupine, and even an alligator! The bears usually stayed in the tavern's basement. Customers could peek at them through a special door in the bar floor.
Sometimes, Joe Beef would bring a bear upstairs. He might do this to calm things down in the tavern. He even played billiards with one of his bears! One bear named Tom loved beer. He would drink twenty pints a day and hold a glass without spilling it.
Once, McKiernan was hurt by a buffalo that was on display. He had to go to the hospital for several days. Another time, a city official inspecting the tavern was bitten by one of McKiernan's dogs.
He ran his popular tavern from 1870 until he passed away from a heart attack in 1889. He was 54 years old.
A Community Mourns
When Joe Beef died, his funeral was a huge event. Many businesses in the city closed. Fifty different worker groups stopped work to honor him. His casket was pulled through the city by a fancy four-horse carriage. The procession was several blocks long.
A newspaper called La Minerve reported that the crowd was made up of workers and laborers of all kinds. All the people Joe Beef had helped came to say goodbye. He is buried in the Mount Royal Cemetery. His gravestone has a long message showing how much his family and friends appreciated him.
Joe Beef's Lasting Impact
Even though he didn't have much formal schooling, McKiernan loved to read and learn. He enjoyed discussing important topics of the day. He was a strong supporter of the rights of everyday people. He would entertain crowds with poems and funny stories. These stories often made fun of bosses, landlords, or church leaders.
He was a champion for the working-class people of Griffintown. He played a big part in the Lachine Canal workers' strike in 1877. He gave them 3,000 loaves of bread and 500 gallons of stew. He also paid for their leaders to travel to Ottawa. As they left, he gave a powerful speech to 2,000 people outside his tavern. He also helped workers during a textile factory strike in 1880.
Joe Beef's Canteen was a central place for social life in Griffintown. It offered important help like housing, food, and temporary jobs for people who were poor or struggling.
He was a main character in a play called Joe Beef by David Fennario. Joe Beef also inspired the famous Joe Beef Restaurant. This restaurant opened in 2005 in Montreal and was even named one of the best restaurants in the world in 2016.
His Business Success
Joe Beef's inn and tavern were very successful. By the time he died in 1889, he had built up a good amount of money. At its busiest, the tavern made a lot of money just from selling beer.
