Catalpa

Oh, come all ye gallant Irishmen
I've 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 seventeenth of April
In the year of 'eighty-three
The gallant bark Catalpa from
Fremantle town did flee

She showed The Green above The Red
And she calmly made her way
Prepared to take those Fenian men
To safety 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
Boyle, Breslin, and his crew
When challenged by The Empire's might
The stars and stripes he flew!

Then Breslin and brave Desmond
And Catalpa, taught and trim
When fast approachin' them they saw
A vision dark and dim

It was the gun-boat Georgette
Among their deck there stood
One hundred hired assassins
To shed the patriot blood

My ship is sailin' peacefully
Beneath a flag of stars
It's manned by Irish hearts of oak
And manly Yankee tars

And that dear emblem to the fore
So plain for to be seen
'Tis the banner to protect o' mine
Ol' Ireland's flag of green

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
Boyle, Breslin, and his crew
When challenged by The Empire's might
The stars and stripes he flew!

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 the day three-thousand men
About the rescue, knew
Not a word was spoke and it was some joke
On John Boyle's navy, too

And here's to Captain Anthony
Who well these men did free
He dared the English navy men
To fight among the sea

Too John Devoy, his name held high
And all friends to be seen
The flag for which our heroes fought
Was Ireland's flag of green

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
Boyle, Breslin, and his crew
When challenged by The Empire's might
The stars and stripes he flew!

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
Boyle, Breslin, and his crew
When challenged by The Empire's might
The stars and stripes he flew!