Trivia in Montserrat

National symbols

Flag: The British Blue Ensign with the Union Jack in the canton and the coat of arms featuring the Irish goddess Erin with a golden harp on the fly side.

Emblem: A woman Erin holding a cross and a golden harp on a green field, symbolizing the Irish heritage of the inhabitants.

Trivia & facts

• The international dialing code 664 was used in the tourist slogan with the wordplay 'Mont-i-go!'
• Many islanders have Irish ancestry, making Montserrat the only Caribbean island where St. Patrick's Day is a public holiday.
• Ships anchored in the old Plymouth port that sank due to volcanic ash are called the 'Fleet Buried in Ash'.
• The '.ms' domain is sometimes acquired by IT companies due to its similarity to Microsoft's abbreviation.
• Air Studios Montserrat, owned by Beatles producer George Martin, was closed after Hurricane Hugo but its site remains a tourist attraction.
• The 'Runaway Goat' spring, said to offer the safest drinking water on the island, has a legend that wishes made there come true.
• Feral goats roaming freely after volcanic eruptions have become photo spots.
• Local radio ZJB serves as the main information source during disasters and plays a central role in disaster education.
• Montserrat is FIFA-affiliated but is known for the 'Other Final' between the world's lowest-ranked teams.
• Montserrat is the only Caribbean island where geothermal power drilling has been conducted with direct UK support since 2013.