I think I like this rendition a little better. In this version, it sounds like "Shamrock" refers to the convict's country, not to his ship.
-Joe Offer-

THE ISLE DE FRANCE
(traditional)

Oh, the sun went down, and the moon advanced
When the convict came to the Isle de France;
Upon his leg was the ring and chain,
And his country was of the Shamrock green.

Then the coastguard came to the island beach
Till the convict's boat was within his reach,
And he asked, while tears from his eyes did rain,
"Were you born, young man, of the Shamrock green?"

"Oh, I am a Shamrock," the convict cried,
"That has been tossed on the ocean wide!
For being unruly, I do declare,
I was doomed a transport for seven years.

"When six of these was past and gone,
We were coming home for to make up one,
When the stormy winds did so blow and roar
I was cast up here on this foreign shore."

Then a speedy letter went to the Queen
About the shipwreck of the Shamrock green,
Then his freedom came by a speedy post
To the absent convict they thought was lost.

"God bless the coastguard," the convict cried,
"Who saved my life from the ocean wide.
I will drink his health in a flowing glass,
So here's success to the Isle de France!"


From Penguin Australian Songbook
The Isle de France was ceded to Britain in 1814 and was later named Mauritius. The ballad appears to date from before the change of name, yet the "letter to the Queen" hints at after 1837.
JRO

MIDI file: ISLEDE~1.MID

Timebase: 192

Name: Isle de France
Text: By (traditional)
Copyright: From "Penguin Australian Songbook"
Key: D
TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Start
0384 1 62 110 0142 0 62 000 0002 1 64 110 0046 0 64 000 0002 1 66 110 0094 0 66 000 0002 1 66 110 0094 0 66 000 0002 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 59 110 0142 0 59 000 0002 1 61 110 0046 0 61 000 0002 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 69 110 0142 0 69 000 0002 1 69 110 0046 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 73 110 0094 0 73 000 0002 1 74 110 0160 0 74 000 0032 1 73 110 0094 0 73 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 71 110 0160 0 71 000 0128 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 73 110 0094 0 73 000 0002 1 74 110 0160 0 74 000 0032 1 73 110 0094 0 73 000 0002 1 69 110 0094 0 69 000 0002 1 71 110 0094 0 71 000 0002 1 73 110 0094 0 73 000 0002 1 71 110 0160 0 71 000 0032 1 62 110 0142 0 62 000 0002 1 64 110 0046 0 64 000 0002 1 66 110 0094 0 66 000 0002 1 67 110 0094 0 67 000 0002 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 59 110 0142 0 59 000 0002 1 61 110 0046 0 61 000 0002 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Isle de France
M:3/4
Q:1/4=120
K:D
D11/2E/2|FFF2B,3/2C/2|DDD2A3/2A/2|Bcd2cA|
BBB3A|Bcd2cA|BcB2D3/2E/2|FGF2B,3/2C/2|DDD7/4||

^^