Photo: Valbaun Galloway Photography ltd. Montserrat Tourism Division. Retrieved from essence.com
There is only one place outside of Ireland that celebrates St. Patrick’s Day as a national public holiday: the island ofMontserrat. The small pear-shaped island is about 40 square miles and is located just south of Antigua. It’s known as the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean.
Montserrat hosts an annual 10-day celebration leading up to the holiday on March 17th, known as the St. Patrick’s Festival. Past highlights have included early morning street jams, music concerts featuring some of the biggest names in reggae and soca music, all-white parties, and a unique St. Patrick’s Day parade with African influence and aCaribbean twist.
During my visits, I learned about an island with a unique heritage and a complex history, as well as a one-of-a-kind festival that combines a legacy of resistance and a good dose of fun.
Now you may be wondering why a Black Caribbean island celebrates St. Patrick’s Day in such a big way. I had that same question when I visited. What I learned over the course of two visits is the story of an island with a unique heritage and a complex history, as well as a one-of-a-kind festival that combines a legacy of resistance and a good dose of fun.