To Jerry Rasmussen & Stewie

It would be the COLONY of Port Phillip or the STATE of Victoria.

Victoria was never a colony: The colony of Port Phillip became the State of Victoria when the boundaries were officially set between New South Wales and Victoria along the Murray River. Prior to this Port Phillip was a small colony surrounding Port Phillip Bay and Port Jackson Colony encompassed Sydney Town along the shores of Port Jackson. Everything between them was the territory of New South Wales - the Name changes came with statehood around 1851 (+/-)

Now to the heart of the matter:

The Wild Colonial Boy was not even born here. He was born in Castlemaine, Ireland, but grew up around Dublin. His name, in song, variously given as Duggan, Dougan, Duigan, Donahue and Doolan (to name but a few) was, in fact - according to historical sources - DONAHOE.

The original version of the song - which originated from the Colony of Port Jackson - was sung to the tune of "The Wearing of the Green" (if you can't recall it, the Irish Rovers did a parody in the 70's called "The Orange and the Green").

The song was actually called "Bold Jack Donahoe", and the reason why the tune, the lyrics and the "hero's" name were changed was to preserve life.
Convicts caught singing (or even whistling or humming the tune to) Bold Jack Donahoe were liable to summary execution by hanging. Just as Irish in Ireland and Irish convicts here were for singing "The Wearing of the Green". Ex-convicts, Ticket-of-Leavers and even Ordinary Settlers could be imprisoned or fined and usually flogged for doing so! Itn was een as seditious and treasonable.

It is believed that "Bold Jack Donahoe" to the tune of "The Wearing of the Green" was actually the version of 'he Wild Colonial Boy' which was being sung with such passion by Ned Kelly and the locals in Jones's Tavern, Glenrowan on the night before the siege.

Below are the words to the original "Wild Colonial Boy" as it was sung in Colonial Times:


BOLD JACK DONAHOE

In Dublin Town I wqas brought up in that city of great fame
My decent friends and parents, they will tell you just the same
T'was for the sake of five-hundred pounds I was sent across the main
For seven long years in New South Wales to wear the convict's chain

I'd scarce been there twelve months or more upon the Australian shore
When I took to the highways as I'd oft times done before
There was me and Darky Underwood and Webber and Webster too
These were the true associates of Bold Jack Donahoe

Now Donahoe was taken all for a notorious crime
And sentenced to be hanged upon the gallows-tree so high
But when they arrived at Sydney Gaol he left them in a stew
For whwn they came to call the roll they missed Bold Donahoe

As Donahoe made his escape, to the bush he went straight way
The squatters were all afraid to travel by night or day
For ev'ry week in the newspapers there was published something new
Concerning the dauntless hero: The Bold Jack Donahoe

As Donahoe was cruising one summer afternoon
Little was his notion; his death was near so soon
When a sergeant of the horse police discharged his carabine
And called aloud on Donahoe to fight or to resign

"Resign to you? You Cowardly dogs!" A thing i ne'er will do
"For I'll fight this night with all my might" cried Bold Jack Donahoe
"I'd rather roam these hills and dales like a wolf or kangaroo,
Than work one night for the government", cried Bold Jack Donahoe

He fought six rounds with the horse police until the fatal ball
Which pierced his heart and made him start, caused Donahoe to fall
And as he closed his mournful eyes he bade the world Adieu
Saying "Convicts all both great and small say prayers for Donahoe"

Mind you - though I love the Donahoe version - and it's the version I prefer to sing; I also quite like (and frequently also sing) the 'traditional' version to the more familiar tune.

Muttley