Montserrat announces St Patrick’s Week celebrations
Week-long festival celebrates the island’s rich Irish heritage
Montserrat (January 19, 2007) – The island of Montserrat is the only place in the world, besides Ireland, that recognizes St Patrick’s Day as a national holiday. This lush, tropical island in the Caribbean with a rich Irish heritage celebrates with an annual festival March 12-19, 2007.
To commemorate the slave uprising that took place on the predominantly Irish island on St Patrick’s Day in 1768, Montserratians celebrate the holiday with much enthusiasm and activities that include feasts, parades, concerts and outdoor theatre productions. Declared a national holiday in 1985, the bulk of the festivities took place in the village of St Patrick’s in the southern region of the island, but due to the eruption of the Soufrière Hills Volcano in 1995, that area has been declared uninhabitable and celebrations are now held in the northern part of the island.
During the week-long festival, a slave village will be erected in Festival Village in Little Bay, including individually decorated slave huts and a slave feast where indigenous foods, such as goat water, stewed yard fowl and bush tea, can be sampled. Other activities include the dancing of the masqueraders, masked mummers dressed in colourful costumes, a national exhibit with local arts and crafts, junior calypso competition, freedom walk and run, freedom hike and an annual church service. In addition to selling Guinness, local bars celebrate in a more mainstream way by decorating bars in green and shamrocks.
Montserrat is the only island in the entire Caribbean chain that is of noticeable Irish heritage. In the 17th century, the island was a haven for Irish Catholics who had served out their time as indentured servants in the British West Indian islands. Today, there’s a touch of Ireland in its looks, sounds and even tastes. The harp and the female figure on the island’s flag and official seal are derived from the Irish heraldy. The local speech is softly laced with Irish brogue and the Irish legacy is evident in surnames and folklore. Even the national dish, goat water, a stew made of kid or mutton and spiced with cloves and rum, is of Irish origin.
The full list of festival activities is as follows:
National exhibitions – showcasing our history, culture, arts and crafts, literature, etc
Kite Festival – a fun and skill-building activity for the whole family
Symposium and lecture – on a topic of historical and national importance by a renowned Caribbean lecturer
Junior Calypso Monarch Competition – see and hear our young people perform original calypsos
Senior Citizens’ Heritage Day – join with our senior citizens as they celebrate our cultural heritage
Freedom Walk and Run – from Cudjoe Head to Salem Park – promoting a healthy lifestyle; also join in the community fun sports and breakfast at Salem Park
Legends and Folktales – hear more about our legends and folklore via a series of exciting radio programmes
Freedom Hike – guided hike along some of the most beautiful trails and exploration of the interior
St Patrick’s Day Heritage Day & Feast – with local foods, music, dances and games
Creative Expressions Of Our People – showcasing the music, dance, drama, poetry, storytelling and other cultural skills of our people
Annual St Patrick’s Church Service – a service of thanksgiving for the achievements of our people and looking towards the future
Annual St Patrick’s Dinner – Join with family and friends to celebrate our cultural heritage, achievements and development in grand style.
Many other exciting activities – honouring the achievements of our ancestors, and celebrating the heritage which continues to inspire generations of Montserratians
Disclaimer: The information in this article/release was accurate at
press time; however, we suggest you confirm all details and prices
directly with vendors.
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