- The Catalpa

A noble whale ship and commander
Was called the Catalpa, they say,
She came down to Western Australia
And she took six poor prisoners away
Away away, away away

So come all you screws, warders and jailers,
And remember Perth regatta day:
Take good care of the rest of your prisoners, boys
Or the whalers will steal them
Away away, away away, away away, away

Seven long years they had served here
And seven long more had to stay,
For defending their country, Old Ireland, they say
For that they were banished away.
Away away

You kept them in Western Australia
Till their hair on their heads would turn grey,
But the Yanks from the States of America
Came out here and stole them away.
Away away, away away,
away away, away away,
away away, away away,
away away, away

And all the Perth boats are a-racing
And making short tack for the spot,
But the Yank she tacked into Fremantle
And he took the best prize of the lot.

Then the Georgette, armed with bold warriors,
Went out the poor Yanks to arrest.
But she runs up her star-spangled banner,
Saying, “You’ll not arrest me, I guess.”

So come all you screws, warders and jailers,
And remember Perth regatta day:
Take good care of the rest of your prisoners, boys
Or the whalers will steal them
Away away, away away, away away, away

And they’ve landed all safe in America
And there they are able to cry,
“Hoist up the green flag in The Shamrock,
Hurrah for old Eire we’ll die!

”So remember those six prisoners colonial
And sing all of these verses with skill
And remember the whaleship that stole them away
And the home that they left on the hill

ship
historic_events
rebellion
Ireland
Australia