The council for Newry, Mourne and Down is to be asked to consider a motion recognising the local connection to one of the most celebrated prison breaks of the 19th century. The proposal seeks to mark the 150th anniversary of the Catalpa Escape and to explore ways of telling the story of James McNally, a native of Newry, to local audiences.
Calls to commemorate a global story with a local focus
Councillor Aidan Mathers, who will bring the motion before the chamber, has said there are already commemorations planned overseas but no formal plans at home in Newry. He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the council should investigate how best to present McNally’s role in the escape to the people of the city.
"While there are celebrations happening across the world in Australia and America, right here in the home town of James McNally there are no plans."
Organised in 1876, the Catalpa Escape involved the American whaling ship Catalpa and was funded by Irish-Americans in Boston and New York. It freed six Fenian prisoners from Fremantle, Western Australia, in a daring operation that has since taken on symbolic importance in the wider narrative of Irish nationalism and emigration.
Who escaped aboard the Catalpa?
Records identify the six escapees as men associated with the Fenian movement. The motion highlights the Newry link through James McNally, and the event’s enduring resonance across Ireland and the Irish diaspora.
| Name | County |
|---|---|
| James McNally | Newry (native) |
| Thomas Darragh | Wicklow |
| Michael Harrington | Cork |
| Thomas Hassett | Cork |
| Robert Cranston | Tyrone |
| Martin Hogan | Limerick |
Political reaction and wider commemoration
Senator Conor Murphy, formerly the MP for Newry and Armagh, has urged the Irish Government to mark the anniversary properly and raised concerns about the lack of an official commemoration of the Newry connection. The motion before the local council will seek to identify potential forms of recognition, which could include exhibitions, plaques, talks or other community events.
Local recognition would link Newry directly to an episode often recounted in histories of the Fenian movement and of Irish-American support for political prisoners. If approved, the council will be asked to explore practical steps to raise awareness of the Catalpa story within the district.
- Motion to be tabled by Cllr Aidan Mathers to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
- Proposal seeks to mark the 150th anniversary of the 1876 Catalpa Escape
- Calls for local ways to tell James McNally’s role in Newry
Any decision by the council will be reported in full. Members of the public with information or interest in the Catalpa story are likely to be invited to engage should the motion progress to a working group or public event.
