Catalpa

Oh, 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 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 as she calmly made her way
Prepared to take those Fenian men to safety o'er the sea

[Chorus]
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 Breslin and his crew
When challenged by the Empire's might
The stars and stripes she flew!

Then Breslin and brave Desmond and Catalpa, taut 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

[Chorus]
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 Breslin and his crew
When challenged by the Empire's might
The stars and stripes she 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 Bull's navy, too

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

[Chorus]
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 Breslin and his crew
When challenged by the Empire's might
The stars and stripes she flew!

[Chorus]
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 Breslin and his crew
When challenged by the Empire's might
The stars and stripes she flew!