Six Irish convicts, sentenced to fourteen years deportation to Western Australia, were whisked away by the American whaler, The Catalpa, in April of 1876.

THE CATALPA
(Trad.) (usually sung to the tune of Rosin the Bow)

A noble whale ship and commander
Was called the Catalpa, they say,
She came out to Western Australia
And took six poor Fenians away

Chorus:
So come all you screws, 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.
And for that they were banished away.

You kept them in Western Australia
Till their hair began to turn grey,
When a Yank from the States of America
Came out here and stole them away. Chorus

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 gave chase with bold warriors
With orders the Yanks to arrest
But she hoisted her star-spangled banner
Saying “You will not board me, I guess.” Chorus

Now they've landed safe in America
And there will be able to cry,
“Hoist up the green flag and the shamrock.
Hurrah, for old Ireland we'll die.”

Many recordings on the web. Here's one by Raymond Crooke: https://youtu.be/Ec228_a89WQ?si=C8w1NxDJ0evasK1m

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More songs about The Catalpa
THE CATALPA RESCUE,1876     by Éilis Kennedy     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_OSNUjNqx0
CATALPA RESCUE by Beyond the Pale     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgcZm21Xxv4
CATALPA RESCUE by Catalpa     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4bBEazM66c
THE GOOD SHIP CATALPA by Padraig Grimes    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-b7uqzm0Eo
TAKE CARE OF YOUR FENIANS OR THE YANKEES WILL STEAL THEM AWAY -   Derek Warfield & The Young Wolfe Tones    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ0fYxNIByQ

Mudcat, Origins: The Catalpa    /mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=130098
Mudcat Digitrad lyrics    /mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=1117,1117
Catalpa Rescue from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalpa_rescue BR>