In 1876, a daring escape from an Australian prison colony by six Fenian prisoners was masterminded by the revolutionary and journalist John Boyle O’Reilly. The sailing triumph of the Catalpa and the daring escape of six prisoners from an Australian prison dates back to 10 years earlier, 1866, to the failure of the Fenian rising in Ireland, when they were among those … [Read more...] about The Catalpa Rescue
Australia
The Irish in Australia
Commencing with convicts, feared and despised, and followed by free immigrants and settlers, the Irish became the dynamic force in Australia's evolution into a nation. ℘℘℘ The eyes of the world were on Australia this past September, as Sydney hosted the 2000 Olympic Games. A close observer will have noted that many of the Australian athletes, including swimmer Susie … [Read more...] about The Irish in Australia
Sláinte! Irish
Eats Down Under
Regular readers have probably deduced I'm a boomer – a member of that generation born after WWII when the troops came home. Along with more than one hundred thousand other Americans, my Da spent the war years in Australia.
In 1942 with Australian forces off fighting for England and Pearl Harbor a fresh victory, Japan advanced on Australia, intending to use it as a … [Read more...] about Sláinte! Irish
Eats Down Under