First Published In Three Street Ballads In 1957
This Version Was Collected By Russel Ward From Victor Courtney A Journalist
On The Sunday Times, Perth, Western Australia, Who Commented,
"I Remember In My Early Days As A Cadet Hearing A Band Of Old Boys In A Pub In Fremantle
Singing This Song. It Is Said That The Song Became So Popular That It Was Banned By The
Authority Of The Day And Jail Was Threatened To Anyone Caught Singing It.
It Was Suggested, Too, That The Escape Was Made Easy Because There Was
Plenty Of American Gold And Some Of It Was Placed In The Hands Of Unscrupulous Warders.
The Incident Took Place In April 1876."
The Escape Of The Six Fenians From Fremantle Jail Was Funded By Collections In Australia
And The United States. Over Three Thousand Pounds Was Collected In Australia.
Several Tunes Are Associated With This Song, Including Tunes Used For 'Botany Bay' And 'The Dying Stockman'.
The Tune Given Here Is A Variant Of 'Rosin The Bow'.
Verse 1
A Noble Whale Ship And Commander
Called The Catalpa, They Say
Came Out To Western Australia
And Took Six Poor Fenians Away
Chorus
So Come All You Screw Warders And Jailers
Remember Perth Regatta Day
Take Care Of The Rest Of Your Fenians
Or The Yankees Will Steal Them Away
Verse 2
Seven Long Years Had They Served Here
And Seven Long More Had To Stay
For Defending Their Country Old Ireland
For That They Were Banished Away
Verse 3
You Kept Them In Western Australia
Till Their Hair Began To Turn Grey
When A Yank From The States Of Americay
Came Out Here And Stole Them Away
Chorus
So Come All You Screw Warders And Jailers
Remember Perth Regatta Day
Take Care Of The Rest Of Your Fenians
Or The Yankees Will Steal Them Away
Verse 4
Now All The Perth Boats Were A-Racing
And Making Short Tacks For The Spot
But The Yankee She Tacked Into Fremantle
And Took The Best Prize Of The Lot
Verse 5
The Georgette Armed With Bold Warriors
Went Out The Poor Yanks To Arrest
But She Hoisted Her Star-Spangled Banner
Saying You'll Not Board Me I Guess
Chorus
So Come All You Screw Warders And Jailers
Remember Perth Regatta Day
Take Care Of The Rest Of Your Fenians
Or The Yankees Will Steal Them Away
Verse 6
So Remember Six Fenians Colonial
And Sing O'er These Few Verses With Skill
And Remember The Yankee That Stole Them
And The Home That They Left On The Hill
Verse 7
Now They've Landed Safe In Americay
And They Will Be Able To Cry
Hoist Up The Green Flag And Shamrock
Hurrah For Old Ireland We'll Die
Chorus
So Come All You Screw Warders And Jailers
Remember Perth Regatta Day
Take Care Of The Rest Of Your Fenians
Or The Yankees Will Steal Them Away
Outro
So Come All You Screw Warders And Jailers
Remember Perth Regatta Day
Take Care Of The Rest Of Your Fenians
Or The Yankees Will Steal Them Away
