Shiners were gangs of Irish immigrants that formed in the early days of Bytown, later Ottawa, mainly active during the 1830s.
The timber industry, the major economic activity in the region at the time, mainly employed French-Canadian labourers, who were reputed to be hard-working and better skilled.
One of the lumber barons, Peter Aylen, only employed Irish workers and called himself "King of the Shiners".
The logger Joseph Montferrand took the side of the French-Canadians, inspiring many tales elevating him to the status of local legend.
This largely put an end to the gangs and violence, although some outbreaks continued to occur into the 1840s.