Historic flag to go on display in Kilkenny this week

As America prepares to celebrate 250 years, an historic flag of the USA is going on display in Kilkenny.

The Catalpa Flag was on board the former American whaling ship, the Catalpa, which was used to help six Fenian prisoners escape from Australia in 1876. The prisoners were among 62 Irish men transported following the rebellion of 1867.

These six men were some of the last remaining in Fremantle Prison after most others had already received pardons.

Following a carefully arranged plan of escape, on the morning of April 17, 1876, the men absconded from prison and made their way by horse and trap to Rockingham Pier.

From there, a small boat took them to the awaiting Catalpa, which had dropped anchor in international waters. Despite colonial forces also reaching the Catalpa, they managed to escape.

The captain, George Smith Anthony, hoisted the flag of the United States of America and, pointing towards it, warned that an attack on the Catalpa would be considered an attack on the USA.

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The prisoners eventually made it to freedom in America. Because of the distance, news of the escape only reached Ireland at the beginning of June.

And, in fact, it was a Kilkenny man who broke news of the event to Ireland. John O’Reilly was a priest in Fremantle at the time, and it was his letter home to his mother, dated April 18, that was sent to the newspapers - both local and national.

Father (and later Archbishop) O’Reilly is credited with having received the American flag from that ship. Soon after, he had it sent back to his family in Kilkenny.

It was donated to the Kilkenny Archaeological Society by O’Reilly’s grandnephew more than 40 years ago but, due to its fragile state, it has not been on public display.

2026 marks 150 years since the event occurred and 250 years since the founding of the United States of America.

On Friday and Saturday, July 3 and 4, the historically significant flag will be on display at the Society’s headquarters in Rothe House and Garden.