Catalpa

Now come all ye gallant Irishmen and a story I'll

relate

I'll tell to you of the Fenian men who from the foe

escaped

Though bound with Saxon chains in a dark Australian

jail

They struck a blow for freedom and for New York town

set sail

On the 17th of April in the year of '831

The gallant bark Catalpa from Freemantle town did flee

She showed the green above the red as she calmly made

her way

Prepared to take those Fenian men to saftey o'er the

sea

Here's to the ship Catalpa and the boys of Uncle Sam

And to all the Irishmen afloat and the Fenians to a man

Here's to Captain Anthony, bold Breslin2 and his crew

When challenged by the empire's might, the Stars and

Stripes he flew!

Then Breslin and brave Desmond2 had Catalpa taut and

trim

When fast approaching them they saw a vision dark and

dim

It was the gunboat Georgette and 'long her deck there

stood

One hundred hired assassins to shed the patriots' blood

"My ship is sailing peacefully beneath the flag of

stars

She's manned by Irish hearts of oak and manly Yankee

tars

And that dear emblem to the fore so plain for to be

seen

Is the banner to protect and mind - old Ireland's flag

of green!"

One hundred years have passed and gone since the day in

New York Bay

All sorts of floats and ships and boats were there -

hip hip hooray!

They say that eighty thousand men about the rescue new

Not a word was spoke and it was some joke on John

Bull's navy too

And here's to Captain Anthony who well these men did

free

He dared the English navy men to fight him on the sea

To John Devoy, his name held high, and all friends to

be seen

The flag for which our heros fought was Ireland's flag

of green!