What is "yallahs"

Yallahs is a town located on the southeastern coast of Jamaica in the parish of St Thomas and is home to an estimated 10,000 inhabitants. The town got its name from Captain Yallahs, a 1671 privateer who loved the area and visited frequently. It is also interesting to note that Yallahs was chosen as the site of the first Baptist church in Jamaica in 1822. The Rev. Joshua Tinson’s attempt to start the Baptist church was thwarted, but he returned in 1828 and succeeded in establishing both a church and school. The Yallahs River is a source of fresh water for the inhabitants of the neighbouring City Of Kingston and St. Andrew and provides residents with water through the Yallahs Pipeline. It is home to a plethora of Christian denominations and is a contributor to the mining industry through gravel extraction that happens along the Yallahs River bank. The township is governed by the St. Thomas Parish Council which is located in the parish's capital town, Morant Bay.