G'day in return Bob

I'll paste part of your reply to me so mine makes sense (I have difficulty doing that from time to time - actually the making sense bits are the few and far between moments!)

You wrote:
".....performed at the Theatre Royal, Dublin on 7 November 1864 - so "The Wearing of the Green" first appears after all but the last remnants of convict servitude - only remaining in West Australia."

Quite correct: However, That date coincides with the latter days of the Potato Famine when over a million had died and over two million had emigrated or been forced to - hence the words "She's the most distressful country".

The song itself was referring to a law passed many many years before after a spate of unrest which saw the transportation of large numbers of "Irish Rebels" to the Colonies of Port Jackson, Port Phillip, Hobart Town and Port Arthur - as well as Norfolk Island for political crimes.
Under this law, the wearing of a sash, ribbon, cockade, pocket or neck kerchief, cap (caubeen) band etc was punishable by immediate incarceration in the case of children and so carried an immediate sentence of Transportation. For adult males or females - depending on the magistrates disposition it could be anything from 14 - 30 years Transportation or the gibbet. ; Hundreds were executed (if not thousands - the numbers are not exact as many "executions" were quite summary in nature) or transported with the latter being the "softer" sentence (and least applied).
Even the act of placing a Shamrock in one's button-hole or hatband was cause for arrest and judgement.

I'm a "potato famine" convict descendant and my info comes from a book a good friend loaned me about the famine days and the decades preceding. It touched on the issues around the 'Wearing of the Green' law and the penalties for disobedience (or rebellion). The Irish were told in no uncertain terms that if they were to wear ANY colour as an 'accessory' it HAD to be RED - hence Foucicault's reference to "Irish Blood".


I too have the Lloyd version in my song book - but it differs fromn the one Roberto has posted:

My version - which I learned first at High School - Irish Christian Brothers!!!! Is as follows:

There was a Wild Colonial Boy, Jack Doolan was his name
Of poor, but honest parents, he was born in Castlemaine
He was his father's only hope, his mother's pride and joy
And dearly did his parents love their Wild Colonial Boy

He was barely sixteen years of age when he left his father's home
And through Australia's sunny climes; a bushranger did roam
He robbed those wealthy squatters, their flocks he did destroy
And a terror to the 'Rich Man' was The Wild Colonial Boy

In 'Sixty-one this daring youth began his wild career
With heart that knew no danger, no foeman he did fear
He bailed up the Beechworth mail-coach and robbed Judge MacEvoy
Who, trembling cold, gave up his gold to the Wild Colonial Boy

He bade the Judge good morning and he told him to beware
He'd never rob an honest man that acted 'on the square'
He'd never rob a mother of her son and only joy
Or you're a far worse outlaw than a Wild Colonial Boy

One day as he was riding the mountainside along
A-listening to the kookaburra's pleasant laughing song
Three mounted troopers came in view: Kelly, Davis and Fitzroy
And thought that they would capture him; the Wild Colonial Boy

Surrender now, Jack Doolan, you see we're three to one
Surrender in the Queen's High Name, you daring highwayman
He drew his pistol from his belt and he waved it like a toy:
I'll fight but ne'er surrender – cried The Wild Colonial Boy

He fired at trooper Kelly and he brought him to the ground
And in return from Davis received his mortal wound
All shattered through the jaws he lay, still firing at Fitzroy
And that's the way they captured him, The Wild Colonial Boy


I have a further verse used as a chorus if preferred


So come along me hearties; we'll range the mountain-sides
Together we will plunder. Together we will ride
We'll gallop through the valleys and thunder o'er the plains
We'll scorn the life of slavery; bound down by iron chains


Following is a quote from a book I have in my library; "BAIL UP!: A Pictorial History of Australia's Most Notorious Bushrangers; Featuring The Ned Kelly Story"

"This version of the unofficial anthem of Australia of the Nineteeth Century was so changed that the real events were hardly recognised in the lyrics. Rendering this boisterous tune would not land the singer in gaol, as was the case following the time of Donahoe's reign. [sic] meaning the "Bold Jack Donahoe" version I posted earlier.

This book has a third version of Lloyd's Wild Colonial Boy (or the one he derived it from) - I think my version in this posting is also a derivative as the text states that this was the original variant rendered to prevent arrest in lieu of 'Bold Jack'


THE WILD COLONIAL BOY   (again)

There was a Wild Colonial Boy, Jack Doolan was his name
Of poor, but honest parents, he was born in Castlemaine
He was his father's only hope, his mother's pride and joy
And dearly did his parents love their Wild Colonial Boy

CHORUS:
       So come away me hearties; we'll range the mountains high
       Together we will plunder. Together we will ride
       We'll scour along the valleys and we'll gallop o'er the plains
       We'll scorn the life of slavery; bound down by iron chains


At the age of sixteen years he left his native home
And to Australia's sunny shores; a bushranger did roam
They put him in an iron gang in the government employ
But never an iron on earth could hold The Wild Colonial Boy

In 'Sixty-one this daring youth commenced his wild career
With heart that knew no danger, no foeman he did fear
He bailed up the Beechworth mail-coach and robbed Judge MacEvoy
Who, trembling cold, gave up his gold to the Wild Colonial Boy

One day as he was riding the mountainside along
A-listening to the little birds; their happy laughing song
Three mounted troopers came in view: Kelly, Davis and Fitzroy
With a warrant for the capture of the Wild Colonial Boy

Surrender now, Jack Doolan, you see we're three to one
Surrender in the Queen's Own Name, you are a highwayman
He drew his pistol from his belt and he waved it like a toy:
I'll fight but not surrender – cried The Wild Colonial Boy

He fired at trooper Kelly and he brought him to the ground
And in return from Davis received a mortal wound
All shattered through the jaws he lay, still firing at Fitzroy
And that's the way they captured him, The Wild Colonial Boy


Interestingly - no shot fired by police in the ambush that killed him hit him in the jaw. He was felled by a single musket ball to the forehead. The shot was fired by trooper John Muggleton and there was no trooper Kelly, Davis OR Fitzroy in the police party. The fact that he was killed by a shot to the head also suggests he probably didn't gey much of a chance to say "Convicts all, both great and small say prayers for Donahoe"

Slainte

Muttley


So come along me hearties; we'll range the mountain-sides
Together we will plunder. Together we will ride
We'll gallop through the valleys and thunder o'er the plains
We'll scorn the life of slavery; bound down by iron chains