Dis & Dat

Some Recommended Reading on Jamaican Music,
Folklore, Jamaican humour, History & Politics.
     

The Monserrat Flag with the Union Jack and the Irish Influence. Wonderful.

 

Jamaica, the Caribbean and the Irish Connection

If you have time on your hands and fancy checking out some history there are some interesting things to look at on the Internet about the connection between Ireland and the Caribbean.

The Monserrat Website with “One Hundred Thousand Welcomes”, the emerald jewel of the Caribbean, complete withshamrocks www.visitmontserrat.com

St. Patrick’s Day in the Caribbean with a whole week of Celebrations.
www.visitmontserrat.com/calendar_of_events.htm The 2004 Events are still listed.

There are websites, which take a look at the History of the Irish Connection in the Caribbean especially Jamaica, Monserrat and Barbados.

www.irishrootsmagazine.com/about/TheBlackIrish.htm

The Jamaican Gleaner newspaper in Jamaica, which is available on line as
www.jamaica-gleaner.com has some very interesting historical articles such as “Pieces of the Past”. These articles trace the various nationalities that arrived in Jamaica including an article on the Irish.

www.jamaica-gleaner.com/pages/history/story0058.htm

For more on the subject of the Irish in Jamaica check Robert Mullally’s ‘One Love’ the Black Irish of Jamaica.

www.thewildgeese.com/pages/jamone.html

www.thewildgeese.com/pages/jamtwo.html

www.thewildgeese.com/pages/jamthree.html

We are sure you will agree these articles make very interesting reading.
     
     
   

Postcards

Below are some old postcards of Jamaica that date back to the early 1900’s, Instead of the usual blue sky and white beach scene these postcards at least show what Kingston and Jamaica people and places looked like.

 
Harbour Street East Kingston c.1910
Tramways can be seen if you look carefully.

On the Road to Bog Walk Looking at this scene this could be rural Ireland from the same time, and witha name like Bog walk
c.1905-1910.

King Street c.1910
When the Horse & Buggy ruled, although you can see the tramlines on the road.



On the way to market c.1910 RockFort Road Kingston.

Jubilee Market, Kingston early 1900’s.

King Street, Kingston Jamaica 1930’s
With the Tramway & lines very prominent.

An Earthquake devastated Jamaica in January 1907
This photo is of Port Royal Street in Kingston.

The luxurious
Myrtle Bank Hotel
on Harbour Street,
Kingston.
Once the largest Hotel in Jamaica, was destroyed in the 1907 Earthquake; it was reconstructed in 1918 & sold to the United Fruit Company. This Hotel looks the ultimate Colonial retreat of the wealthy but it was famous for being the first to allow visiting Black American Artists admittance, including Nat King Cole & Louis Armstrong.

     
     
   

Commemorative Stamps

Stamps celebrating aspects of Jamaican Life: Bob Marley has had two issues the first issue the year of his death in 1981 the amazing thing about the first stamps is they were named after songs by Bob & “Positive Vibrations” ended up as “Ositive Vibrations” The second issue celebrating 50 years of his birth 1995, It’s a pity the Jamaican Post Office would not issue stamps of other legendary Jamaican Recording Artists.
Celebrating the Jamaican Olympic bob sled team & the achievements of the Reggae Boyz first appearance at the World Cup Finals 1998.

1962 Jamaican Stamp showing the Jamaican Coat Of Arms featuring as it always did pre Independence the Queeen’s Head, many were over stamped with Independence 1962 obviously to save money on reprinting a whole new catalogue of stamps.   1972 Jamaican Stamp Celebrating 100 years of Kingston as Capitol with the Kingston Coat of Arms the inscription in English states “A City which hath Foundations” Before 1872 St. Jega De La Vega also known as Spanish Town was the capitol. 
 




 


Stamps celebrating
Bob Marley
     
     
   

Independence

6th August 1962 Jamaican Independence Day

Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon at the opening of the first Jamaican Parliament.

Note the same day Marilyn Monroe is found dead in Hollywood.