09/26/2026
🇮🇪☘️ Honoring the Catalpa Rescue — New Bedford & Ireland United by History 🇺🇸☘️
This past Saturday, September 19th, members of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of New Bedford were honored to be in Ireland for the unveiling and rededication of the Catalpa Memorial at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin.
The Catalpa Rescue of 1876 is one of the most remarkable chapters connecting the history of New Bedford, Massachusetts, and Ireland.
In 1875, the whaling ship Catalpa was purchased and outfitted in New Bedford before beginning an extraordinary journey to Australia. The mission ultimately led to the rescue of six Irish Fenian prisoners from Western Australia. After an arduous journey and a dramatic escape, the prisoners reached the Catalpa and were brought safely to the United States.
The rescue became an important moment in the history of the Irish struggle for freedom and was celebrated throughout the Irish-American community.
A particularly important New Bedford connection is Denis Duggan, the only Fenian aboard the Catalpa when she departed New Bedford for Australia. Following the rescue, Duggan lived in the United States before eventually returning to Ireland. He is buried at Glasnevin Cemetery, and his grave remains in the care of the National Graves Association.
The Catalpa Memorial, originally erected by the National Graves Association in the early 1990s as a cenotaph for the Mountjoy Martyrs, has now been rededicated in honor of the Catalpa Rescue.
Following the unveiling ceremony, attendees gathered at Denis Duggan’s grave, where a wreath was placed and his life and connection to the Catalpa Rescue were remembered.
The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of New Bedford were proud to attend in strong numbers alongside members of other branches and organizations and to be part of this historic occasion.
It was a powerful reminder of the historic connection between New Bedford and Ireland, and of the important role our city played in the story of the Catalpa Rescue.
We are honored to have represented New Bedford and the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in Ireland and to help remember and preserve this important chapter of Irish and New Bedford history.
New Bedford 🇺🇸 — Ireland 🇮🇪 — Connected by history, heritage, and generations of Irish-American tradition.
☘️ Sláinte to all who helped make this memorial a reality. ☘️
