The Wild Clonial Boy
Traditional Australian Song
Traditional Australian Song
The resulting Irish version is about a young emigrant, named Jack Duggan, who left the town of Castlemaine, County Kerry, Ireland, for Australia in the 1800s. According to the song (and in keeping with the true story of Jack Donahoe), he spent his time there 'robbing from the rich to feed the poor'. In the song, the protagonist is fatally wounded in an ambush when his heart is pierced by the bullet of Fitzroy.
The Australian version has Jack Doolan (or sometimes Jack Dowling) as the protagonist, and here Castlemaine refers to the Australian town in Victoria. In both versions variation in the wording and language occurs across different sources.
In his Old Bush Songs, Banjo Patterson wrote: "it will be noticed that the same chorus is sung to both 'The Wild Colonial Boy' and 'Bold Jack Donahoo'. Several versions of both songs were sent in, but the same chorus was always made to do duty for both songs." Info sourced from Austlit.edu.au
The Australian version has Jack Doolan (or sometimes Jack Dowling) as the protagonist, and here Castlemaine refers to the Australian town in Victoria. In both versions variation in the wording and language occurs across different sources.
In his Old Bush Songs, Banjo Patterson wrote: "it will be noticed that the same chorus is sung to both 'The Wild Colonial Boy' and 'Bold Jack Donahoo'. Several versions of both songs were sent in, but the same chorus was always made to do duty for both songs." Info sourced from Austlit.edu.au
"Wild Colonial Boy" - traditional anonymous Irish-Australian ballad
Listen to song performed by the Irish Rovers - play the MP3 light version
Listen to song performed by the Irish Rovers - play the MP3 light version
There was a wild colonial boy, Jack Duggan was his name
He was born and raised in Ireland in a place called Castlemaine
He was his father's only son, his mother's pride and joy
And dearly did his parents love the wild colonial boy
He was born and raised in Ireland in a place called Castlemaine
He was his father's only son, his mother's pride and joy
And dearly did his parents love the wild colonial boy
One morning on the prairie as Jack he rode along
While listening to the mockingbird a singing a cheerful song
Out jumped a band of troopers, Kelly, Davis and Fitzroy
They all set out to capture him, the wild colonial boy
While listening to the mockingbird a singing a cheerful song
Out jumped a band of troopers, Kelly, Davis and Fitzroy
They all set out to capture him, the wild colonial boy
"Surrender now Jack Duggan for you see we're three to one,
Surrender in the King's high name you are a plundering son"
Jack pulled two pistols from his belt and he proudly waved them high
"I'll fight, but not surrender," cryed the wild colonial boy
Surrender in the King's high name you are a plundering son"
Jack pulled two pistols from his belt and he proudly waved them high
"I'll fight, but not surrender," cryed the wild colonial boy
He fired a shot at Kelly, which brought him to the ground
And he fired point blank at Davis, who fell dead at the sound
A bullet pierced his proud young heart from the pistol of Fitzroy
And that was how they captured him, the wild colonial boy
And he fired point blank at Davis, who fell dead at the sound
A bullet pierced his proud young heart from the pistol of Fitzroy
And that was how they captured him, the wild colonial boy
At the early age of sixteen years, he left his native home
And to Australia's sunny shore he was inclined to roam
He robbed the rich, he helped the poor, he shot James McAvoy
A terror to Australia was the wild colonial boy
And to Australia's sunny shore he was inclined to roam
He robbed the rich, he helped the poor, he shot James McAvoy
A terror to Australia was the wild colonial boy
Image 1 - https://www.flickr.com
Image 2 - https://www.pinterest.com.au
Image 2 - https://www.pinterest.com.au
Aussie Culture Index
The Great South Land
Advance Australia Fair
Waltzing Matilda
Click Goes The Shears
Wild Colonial Boy
The Man from Snowy River
Clancy of the Overflow
The Catalpa
Scarborough Snake Pit
The Great South Land
Advance Australia Fair
Waltzing Matilda
Click Goes The Shears
Wild Colonial Boy
The Man from Snowy River
Clancy of the Overflow
The Catalpa
Scarborough Snake Pit
"The Wild Colonial Boy' is a traditional Irish/Australian ballad of which there are many different versions. It has been argued that the original version was really about Jack Donahoe (variously spelled Donahoo or Donahue), an Irish transport who arrived at Sydney Cove in 1825, and was subsequently convicted of highway robbery and sentenced to death. He escaped and waged a guerrilla war against the wealthy for more than two years in the country around Sydney. On September 1st 1830 he was ambushed by a police party near Cambelltown and shot dead, his companions Webber and Warmsley escaping into the bush. This version was eventually outlawed as seditious so the name of the protagonist changed.
We'll rove the mountains and the glens, and we'll ride across the plains
We scorn to live in slavery, bowed down by iron chains
We scorn to live in slavery, bowed down by iron chains
We'll rove the mountains and the glens, and we'll ride across the plains
We scorn to live in slavery, bowed down by iron chains
We scorn to live in slavery, bowed down by iron chains
We'll rove the mountains and the glens, and we'll ride across the plains
We scorn to live in slavery, bowed down by iron chains
We scorn to live in slavery, bowed down by iron chains
.
