The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #168402 Message #4073407
Posted By: Stewie
27-Sep-20 - 10:18 PM
Thread Name: Mudcat Australia-New Zealand Songbook
Subject: RE: Rise Up Mudcat Songbook - Australia
THE CATALPA
A noble whale ship the Catalpa Set out from New Bedford one day She sailed off to Western Australia And took six poor Fenians away
Chorus So come all you screw warders and jailers Remember Perth regatta day Take care of the rest of your Fenians Or the yankees will steal them away
Seven long years they had served here And seven long more had to stay For defending their country old Ireland They were ta’en and transported away
You kept them in Western Australia Till their hair had begun to turn grey When a brave whaling ship and commander Came out here and stole them away
Now all the Perth boats were a-racing And making short tacks for the spot But the yankee tacked into Fremantle And took the best prize of the lot
The Georgette she sailed out with guns ready Intending the yankee to take But they hoisted their star-spangled banner And left the Georgette in their wake
So remember those six Fenians heroes Who escaped o’er to Amerikay And join in a toast the bravery of the yankees who stole them away
Now they've landed safe in New York harbour And the crowd there to greet them did cry ’So we’ll hoist up the green flag and shamrock For old Ireland we’ll fight or we’ll die
There are many versions of 'The Catalpa'. I reckon the above is a good'un.