St Patrick’s Day, Montserrat, 17 March 2016.

The day after the MFB tour decided to take the fast ferry from St John’s, Antigua to Little  Bay in Monserrat for the Irish festivities. Monserrat is the only place outside Ireland that has St Patrick’s day as a public holiday. Many an O’Reilly, O’Brian and ‘twinkle in the eyes’ of the locals. It took 4 hours to get on the ferry and it was chaos!! Eventually pushed and shoved my way on but good crossing with lashings of Carib and ‘Shipwreck’. Taxi up to the hotel and then down to Salem for the Parade and party. Monserrat was devastated by a volcanic eruption in 1997 and again 2010 that destroyed the capital, Plymouth and rumbles on so half the island is an exclusion zone. Great parade and party then back to the hotel for a last, last in the bar with an Irish American from Boston. Booked an island tour for the morning but was told at 8am that the ferry was leaving at 10am not 3pm. So mad scramble to get on and no tour or breakfast!

Highlights:

Chaos customs

Little Bay, Montserrat. Ferry dock in the first pic.

Parade

This troop represented slaves who mocked their masters in dance but kept their anonymity with headdresses and face masks.

Party people

St Patrick’s Day queens.

Police Band

Steel Band

Far out!

Out of sight!