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Why did the Irish go to Montserrat?

Indentured servants accounted for the majority of people migrating to Montserrat. Almost fifty to sixty percent of the labour flow from Britain to its many colonies during the early seventeenth century were servants. Many Irish migrants were attracted to the large supply of employment available in the sugar industry.



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Montserrat was colonized by Britain in 1632 who brought Irish settlers to the island. Montserrat formed part of the Leeward Islands Federation from 1871 until l956, when it became a separate colony following the dissolution of the Federation.

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They have Irish surnames – Ward, Connors, Carty, O'Brien, Cash, Coffey, Furey, MacDonagh, Mohan. In recent times, some have moved into the settled community; the town of Rathkeale in Co Limerick, population about 2000, has about 45% Travellers.

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The name Montserrat means “Jagged or serrated mountain” because of the sharp looking peaks of the mountain. According to the legend, angels came down from the sky and serrated the mountain with the golden saw to create a throne for the Virgin Mary.

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