The Catalpa Adventure

In April 1875, the whaler 'Catalpa' sailed from New Bedford in America, embarking on a hair-raising seafaring mission. Its destination was Fremantle, Western Australia; its goal to rescue six Fenian prisoners from the toughest prison there. The Irishmen, convicted of treason against the British Queen and regarded as traitors, were suffering from hunger, overwork and disease. Fearing they would die, they had pleaded with their comrades in America to be rescued. On Easter Monday 1876, the prisoners made their bid for freedom. But their escape attempt was soon in danger. The alarm was raised and heavily armed soldiers and police were sent in pursuit. Would the prisoners reach safety before they were captured? Was the escape doomed to failure? This is the story of that rescue attempt, a story of courage, endurance and daring, one of the most exciting and thrilling sea stories. By the author of MICHAEL COLLINS: MOST WANTED MAN and TITANIC TRAGEDY.

Auteur

VINCENT MCDONNELL is from County Mayo and now lives near Newmarket, County Cork. In 1989 he won the GPA First Fiction Award, after being recommended by Graham Greene, and has since had eight books for children published and two for adults. Many of his short stories have also been published and he has won numerous other prizes as well as being shortlisted for the RAI awards. He has been writer in residence at a variety of locations and has given workshops and readings all over Ireland.