Margo O’Byrne

Fenians Festival 2026 

The 150th anniversary of the Catalpa escape - Australia’s most daring maritime prison break - is at the heart of the ‘Fenians Festival 2026’, from March 23 to 31.

In 1876 the highly-planned escape and rescue resulted in six Irish political prisoners (Fenians) escaping from a

convict work detail in Fremantle and making their way to a rendezvous with the Catalpa, an American whaling

ship, near Rockingham. The Catalpa had sailed from America on a secret mission to rescue the men; so secret

Captain George Anthony couldn’t even let his crew know the ship’s true goal.

‘Fenians Festival 2026’ offers a week of events including Irish music and poetry; international guests; a

performance by Theatre 180; history talks, panel discussions and a Family Day.