Coal Mines of Canada and The Men of the Deeps

Canadian history is steeped with stories from coal mines. In the late 19th century, my grandfather travelled from Villa San Leonardo, Italy and boarded a ship for New York. He ended up in the Crowsnest Pass in Western Canada in a town called Fernie.

The story goes that he worked to make some money to return home to his wife and two young daughters and purchase some more vineyards. But on his last day in the mine, a renegade coal cart killed him.

Ever since, coal mines have held a fascination for me. I've been inside several of them. I can't imagine men working in such conditions. I think if it were me, I'd succumb to madness, surely.

The Men of the Deeps is a Canadian choir of coal miners. Their music is emotionally moving and heart wrenching. Here's some haunting melodies they sang with Canadian singer, Rita MacNeil.