A Toast to the Irish Caribbeans
A Toast to the Irish Caribbeans
Ahoy! Do you know there’s a wee bit ‘o Irish scattered about the Caribbean islands? It’s true, even the Virgin Islands can boast about Celtic ties. I remember traveling to St. Kitts one March and seeing Irish flags and shamrocks decorating several homes and bars and finding it rather curious, but when I looked into the area’s history, I began to understand the connection. As another St. Patrick’s Day approaches, we here at Stormy Pirates thought you might want to know more about how the Irish got to the area and where they settled. So, Welcome Aboard, and follow along as we give you a quick history lesson.
The Irish Migration
Before, during and after the English Civil War of the 17th century, thousands of Catholic Irish men, women and children were transported, often unwillingly, to the Caribbean to work on sugar and tobacco plantations owned by wealthy Europeans. The two primary islands that welcomed the indentured Irish workers were Barbados and Jamaica, though smaller islands like St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua and Montserrat welcomed the cheap labor as well.
Sometimes the Irish were promised free passage, housing, food, clothing and a piece of land at the end of their service, while others were simply treated as ‘servants’ or ‘slaves.’ Following the English Civil War, many Irish immigrants were forced onto ships headed to other English colonies like those in the West Indies because the Cromwellian regime had confiscated their land and deemed the occupants ‘political prisoners’. The traffic of deportees during the period between 1650 and 1659 was extensive.
Because no vessel was allowed to sail from Ireland directly, all Irish detainees were first shipped to an English port to obtain clearance papers where they were noted as “English” citizens. Once in the Caribbean, the Irish were placed in the fields next to other slaves and forced to work under the brutal sun, often without stockings or proper attire. For the fair-skinned Irish, this was particularly difficult.
The English government routinely referred to the Irish in derogatory terms, using such words as: rogues, vagabonds, rebels, felons and military prisoners. Those who tried to escape their harsh treatment were rounded up, branded with the letters ‘FT’ (Fugitive Traitor) on their foreheads. Extensive measures were often taken to “control” the Irish servants, much like the treatment of African slaves.
By 1678, a census on the island of Montserrat showed that the Irish population was thriving with a robust community of some 1900 men, women and children. This amounted to 50% of the island’s population. Other Leeward islands showed similar growth with 26% Irish on Antigua, 22% on Nevis and 10% on St. Christopher (St. Kitts). As more and more governors promised religious freedom and access to land ownership, the numbers of immigrants continued to rise with Jamaica quickly becoming the leading destination for the Irish.
In 1773, the Danish West India Company purchased the island of St. Croix. Although the Danes had plenty of money and mercantile expertise, they needed guidance and manpower to create thriving sugar plantations. Looking to their neighbors on Montserrat, the Danes enticed large groups of Irish to relocate on St. Croix. Although most Irish transplants were laborers, one man in particular – Nicholas Tuite – made quite the impact on the island, eventually owning seven Crucian plantations and being part-owner in seven other plantations. In 1760, Tuite was even invited to Copenhagen, where Frederick V appointed him chamberlain and honored his efforts in helping to establish Denmark’s Caribbean empire that consisted of over 150 sugar plantations.
St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
The Irish settlers on Montserrat began celebrating St. Patrick’s Day almost from the moment they arrived. Interestingly, the largest settlement or village of those Irish immigrants was named ‘St. Patrick’s Village,’ where the first Catholic church on the island was built. (The church was destroyed by a powerful earthquake in 1997)
Known as ‘the other Emerald Isle,’ Montserrat seems to be ground zero for disbursement of Celts throughout the Caribbean. As African and Irish servants worked side by side in the fields, families and cultures became blended. Coincidently, on March 17th during the mid-1700s, a large slave revolt took place on the island and a huge celebration occurred afterwards that blended both Irish and African traditions.
On Montserrat:
Today on the island of Montserrat, St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday with celebrations occurring throughout the entire week, culminating with an intense, around-the-clock line up of events that begins with a dedicated group of revelers at 6 A.M. on March 17th and lasts until 6 A.M. the following morning. Flags and banners with green and gold are everywhere as residents participate in a lighting ceremony, freedom run, parade, and banquet of mouth-watering Caribbean and Irish food. Of course, there’s always a bounty of Irish beer, whiskey and Guinness to wash it all down. Rich, Tyler and I sailed into Montserrat on Sail Pending for St. Patrick’s Day in 2016 with our friends Kevin and Barbara on Escape Claws. Below are some pictures from that memorable day.
On St. Croix:
In a friendly competition of trying to surpass the revelry that happened on the British islands surrounding the US Virgin Islands, the residents of St. Croix decided in 1969 to create their own St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Their initial efforts fell a bit flat with one float that consisted of a flatbed truck carrying a piano. As the pianist belted out Irish tunes, everyone was urged to sing along.
These days, the St. Patrick’s Day parade on St. Croix, held on the Saturday closest to March 17th, is one of the largest island-wide parties that begins at 11 A.M. sharp. Local high school bands, majorette groups, and carnival troupes march through the streets touting the island’s Irish Caribbean heritage. No one is more proud or enthusiastic than the clans of O’Bryans, O’Neales and O’Reillys that call the island “home.” Live music, food and libations make it a full day of fun.
St. John:
Like most things on the little island of St. John, the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are laid back. So much so that the parade, which is so short you might miss it if you blink, isn’t advertised or organized! There’s no sign-up to enter your vehicle as participants are just encouraged to decorate their vehicles and show up around the lunch hour. Afterwards, everyone heads to a bar. While Quiet Mon pub used to be the gathering spot for the day, that business has closed so any spot with beer and whiskey will do.
Water Island Parade:
Each year Water Island celebrates St. Patty’s day with a golf cart parade and beach party.
Screenshot
Dance A Little Jig
One interesting result of the merging of Irish and Caribbean cultures is the evolution of Quelbe music. Considered a traditional indigenous style of music, distinct to the Virgin Islands, Quelbe musicians blend improvised instruments like gourds and washboards to create lively tunes that are perfect for a dance form known as ‘Quadrille,’ which resembles square dancing and was influenced by Irish and English planters years ago.
If you’re looking to experience this unique musical sound, look for the following local bands that may have performances scheduled around the season of celebrating the Irish among us:
- Jamesie and the Allstars
- Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Nights
- Bully and the Kafooners
- Blinky and the Roadmasters
End Notes: As always, we hope you enjoyed this post and hope you’ll share it with your friends. Better yet, come visit and let us show you our favorite spots in the Virgin Islands. Simply visit our website and book a boat day with Stormy Pirates – we’ll put the gang plank down and escort you in style. And yes, we can even arrange your own private St. Patrick’s Day party onboard one of our many boats. Sláinte!