Carlton County Gaol

I went to Ottawa last week, and spent the night in jail!

Here is the ghost of Patrick James Whelan, the assassin of Thomas Darcy McGee, as made manifest by the haunting power of music. Whelan is said to haunt the Carlton County Gaol, and I would not beg to differ.

You might think that my first choice when staying in Ottawa would be The Chateau Laurier, but once before, when I attended The Ottawa Flute Fair, I had stayed in this jail-cum-hostel! The Hostel International’s conversion of this historic and impressively old gothic jail is a superlative example of successful architectural preservation, transformation and useage.

Despite the chilly ambience, I find the staff consistently welcoming and laid-back. This particular stay of mine was appropo, considering I was in town for a reading presented by acclaimed author David Wilson for his definitive book about one of Canada’s Founders of Confederation: Thomas Darcy McGee. Whelan - his apparent assassin - was incarcerated at the jail, and, after a rather hasty trial, now has the claim to fame of being the last person to be hanged in Canada. This last spectacle of capital punishment was witnessed by over 5,000 persons at the time. He pleaded innocence right up to his march to the gallows!

The jail is impressive, and a great place to crash on the cheap…however I feel I should caution you that despite the warm rapport of fellow travelers, it is an oddly disconcerting place to wander about and sleep in!