From the recording Hypothetically Speaking
Catalpa Rescue is a song performed by McLeod Nine and written by Gordon McLeod about the true story of a daring rescue of six Fenian prisoners from Fremantle Prison in west Australia in 1876. Years earlier in 1869 the seven Irish rebels were imprisoned in Fremantle along with 55 other “Fenian” prisoners of the British who had been convicted of treason and rebellion. In 1869 John O'Reilly escaped aboard an American whaleship, The Gazelle, with the help of the prison's priest. He sailed to Boston and became a successful newspaper editor. But the fate of his fellow Fenian brothers haunted him, so he and fellow Fenian, John Devoy organized the purchase of another Yankee whaleship, The Catalpa, and organized the rescue of six of their remaining comrades from Fremantle. Here are the lyrics to the song:
Lyrics
Catalpa Rescue Words and music by Gordon McLeod , August, 2018
We were transported, we sixty two
Our crime rebellion, our hopes were few
I was a soldier, O’Reilly was my name
Locked up in Fremantle prison, 10,000 miles from home.
I yearned for freedom more than I feared the rope
I worked outside the walls, so had cause for hope
I swam and boarded the whaling ship Gazelle
Those Yankee whalers saved me form Fremantl’es hell
Chorus:
Catalpa Rescue from New Bedford we set sail
To free our brothers from Fremantle jail
We are all soldiers of the fearless Clan na Gael
We dare not falter, tyranny shall not prevail
I sailed to Boston, was free it seemed
But visions of my brothers in chains haunted my dreams
I met John DeVoy, a Fenian like me
We vowed we sail to Australia and set our brothers free
On Good Ship Catalpa we sailed halfway round the world
With bloody hands we rowed and dodged the cannonballs they hurled
Six Fenian captives worked outside Fremantle’s walls
We rescued them in our whaleboat rowing in the squall
Chorus:Catalpa Rescue from New Bedford we set sail
To free our brothers from Fremantle jail
We are all soldiers of the fearless Clan na Gael
We dare not falter, tyranny shall not prevail
Though pursued by Brittania on the waves
Our lust for justice gave us strength to cheat the grave
We beat the Royal Navy at her game
And slipped away across the Australian main
Chorus: Catalpa Rescue from New Bedford we set sail
To free our brothers from Fremantle jail
We are all soldiers of the fearless Clan na Gael
We dare not falter, tyranny shall not prevail