P.V. O'Donnell currently lives in Manchester, Connecticut and teaches private lessons while performing shows and travelling to Ireland.
Tom Sweeney now lives in Omagh, Northern Ireland and has a very successful career as a folk singer. He has released several albums including Daisy a Day and Poems of Ireland along with several very successful children's albums.
Jimmy Sweeney still lives in Canada. His recordings include Come Listen Awhile with his brother Tom.
The Wild Colonial Boy
Barley Bree Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There was a wild colonial boy Jack Doolan was his name.
With poor and honest parents he was born near Castlemaine.
He was his father's only son his mother's pride and joy.
And dearly did his parents love their Wild Colonial Boy.
At the early age of 16 years he left his native home.
And round Australia's sunny shores a bushranger did roam.
He held up the healthy squatters, their stock he did destroy.
So come all you hearties, we'll roam the mountain wide.
Together we will plunder and together we will die.
We'll wander over valleys and gallop over plains.
And scorn to live in slavery bound down by Iron Chains.
In '61 this daring youth commenced his wild career.
With a heart that knew no danger no foeman did he fear.
He robbed the Beechwood Mailpost and robbed Judge McEvoy.
Who trembling cold gave up his gold to the Wild Colonial Boy.
He bade the judge good morning and told him to beware.
He'd never rob an honest man who acted on the square.
For a man who'd rob a mother of her son and only joy.
He could expect no mercy from the Wild Colonial Boy.
So come all you hearties, we'll roam the mountain wide.
Together we will plunder and together we will die.
We'll wander over valleys and gallop over plains.
And scorn to live in slavery bound down by Iron Chains.
One day as he was riding the mountainside along.
Listening to the kookaburas pleasant mocking song.
He spied three mounted troopers: Kelly, Davis and Fitzroy.
With a warning for the capture of the Wild Colonial Boy.
"Surrender now Jack Doolan, you see we're three to one.
Surrender in the Queen's high name! You are a highwayman."
Jack drew two pistols from his belt and waved it like a toy.
"I'll fight but not surrender!" cried the Wild Colonial Boy.
So come all you hearties, we'll roam the mountain wide.
Together we will plunder and together we will die.
We'll wander over valleys and gallop over plains.
And scorn to live in slavery bound down by Iron Chains.
He fired a trooper Kelly and brought him to the ground.
Then in return from Davis, he received his fatal wound.
All shattered through the jaws he laid still firing at Fitzroy.
And that's the way they captured him the Wild Colonial Boy.
So come all you hearties, we'll roam the mountain wide.
Together we will plunder and together we will die.
We'll wander over valleys and gallop over plains.
And scorn to live in slavery bound down by Iron Chains.
"The Wild Colonial Boy" is a traditional Irish-Australian ballad that tells the story of Jack Doolan, a young man who becomes a notorious bushranger, robbing squatters and mail coaches throughout Australia. The lyrics describe the life of the titular character, who left his humble beginnings as the only son of honest parents to become a feared outlaw. The song talks about how Jack Doolan's parents loved him dearly, but his upbringing did not prevent him from becoming a menace to Australia. It also implies that Jack Doolan has a certain code of ethics among criminals; he doesn't rob honest men and shows no mercy to those who would separate a mother from her son.
The lyrics of the song are filled with a sense of adventure and romanticism about the life of bushrangers. They call people to join together and roam the mountain wide, to plunder and die, rather than live in slavery bounded by iron chains. The final verse provides a thrilling account of the capture and death of the Wild Colonial Boy, who died in a blaze of glory, refusing to surrender to the police.
Interestingly, the song mixes both fact and fiction, although it is generally accepted that the character of Jack Doolan was based on the real-life bushranger, Jack Donahoe, who was active in the mid-nineteenth century in New South Wales. In Donahoe's story, he was a poor Irish convict who escaped and became a bushranger, whereas Doolan is the son of poor but honest parents. The song was first recorded in Australia in the 1920s and has been recorded by many musicians since then, including The Dubliners and Johnny Cash.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a wild colonial boy Jack Doolan was his name.
The story begins with Jack Doolan, who was famously known as the wild colonial boy.
With poor and honest parents he was born near Castlemaine.
Jack Doolan was born to honest parents who were not financially well off, and he spent his childhood in Castlemaine, Australia.
He was his father's only son his mother's pride and joy.
As the only son of his parents, he was dearly loved by both his parents, especially by his mother.
And dearly did his parents love their Wild Colonial Boy.
His parents loved him very much, and they were proud of their wild, but brave son.
At the early age of 16 years he left his native home.
Jack Doolan left his hometown at the age of 16, which marked the beginning of his life as a bushranger.
And round Australia's sunny shores a bushranger did roam.
He roamed across the sunny shores of Australia as a bushranger, causing trouble for the healthy squatters and destroying their stocks.
He held up the healthy squatters, their stock he did destroy.
Jack Doolan was a notorious bushranger who destroyed the stock of rich people and held them up.
A terror to Australia was the Wild Colonial Boy.
The actions of Wild Colonial Boy, Jack Doolan, had created fear in the minds of people, making him a terror to Australia.
So come all you hearties, we'll roam the mountain wide.
The song urges all the daring people to join and roam the mountains with them.
Together we will plunder and together we will die.
The group insists that they will loot together and face death together.
We'll wander over valleys and gallop over plains.
They plan to wander over valleys and gallop over plains in their search for adventure.
And scorn to live in slavery bound down by Iron Chains.
They refuse to live in slavery, even if it means being bound down by iron chains.
In '61 this daring youth commenced his wild career.
Jack Doolan began his wild career in the year 1861.
With a heart that knew no danger no foeman did he fear.
Jack Doolan was fearless and had an unwavering heart that knew no danger or fear.
He robbed the Beechwood Mailpost and robbed Judge McEvoy.
Jack Doolan robbed the Beechwood Mailpost and Judge McEvoy without mercy.
Who trembling cold gave up his gold to the Wild Colonial Boy.
Trembling with cold and fear, Judge McEvoy handed over his gold to the Wild Colonial Boy.
He bade the judge good morning and told him to beware.
Jack Doolan bid the judge good morning and warned him to be careful in the future.
He'd never rob an honest man who acted on the square.
Jack promised that he would never rob an honest man who lived an upright life.
For a man who'd rob a mother of her son and only joy.
Jack Doolan had a complicated moral code as he had vowed to never harm honest men, but he would not show mercy to those who hurt mothers and took away their son, who meant the world to them.
He could expect no mercy from the Wild Colonial Boy.
Those who fell on the wrong side of Jack Doolan could expect no mercy from the Wild Colonial Boy.
One day as he was riding the mountainside along.
One day, while Jack Doolan was riding along the mountainside, he encountered three mounted troopers.
Listening to the kookaburas pleasant mocking song.
Jack Doolan was listening to the pleasant mocking song of the Kookaburras when he encountered the troopers.
He spied three mounted troopers: Kelly, Davis and Fitzroy.
Jack Doolan saw three mounted troopers named Kelly, Davis, and Fitzroy.
With a warning for the capture of the Wild Colonial Boy.
The troopers warned Jack that they were after him and wanted to capture the Wild Colonial Boy.
Surrender now Jack Doolan, you see we're three to one.
The troopers urged Jack Doolan to surrender as they were three, and he was alone.
Surrender in the Queen's high name! You are a highwayman.
The troopers asked Jack Doolan to surrender in the name of the Queen and stated that he was a highwayman.
Jack drew two pistols from his belt and waved it like a toy.
Jack Doolan drew two pistols from his belt and waved them playfully, to show the troopers that he was not intimidated.
I'll fight but not surrender! cried the Wild Colonial Boy.
Jack Doolan refused to surrender and vowed to fight till his last breath.
He fired a trooper Kelly and brought him to the ground.
Jack Doolan shot trooper Kelly and brought him down.
Then in return from Davis, he received his fatal wound.
In return, he was fatally wounded by Davis's shot.
All shattered through the jaws he laid still firing at Fitzroy.
Jack Doolan got shot in the mouth and fell down, but he kept firing at Fitzroy, who eventually captured him.
And that's the way they captured him the Wild Colonial Boy.
Jack Doolan was captured in this way, and the song ends with his story.
Contributed by Allison C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.