Bunbury author Peter Murphy’s new book Fremantle to Freedom explores one of Australia’s most legendary tales

Bound in irons and shipped to the end of the earth for the crime of seeking freedom — the escape of six Fenian prisoners onboard the Catalpa is one of Australia’s greatest historic tales. Retold by Bunbury author Peter Murphy, the life of the longest living Fenian James McNally Wilson is the focus of Murphy’s new book Fremantle to Freedom. The 120-page coffee table book edited by Fred Rea, officially launches on Sunday at the Bunbury Museum and Heritage Centre from 1pm. The free event will showcase live Irish music, storytelling, poetry and yarns followed by a question and answer section from the author and editor. The launch comes only months before the historic 150th anniversary of the famous escape, with the book sharing the lives of the Catalpa six after their landing in America. “I wanted to follow the trials and tribulations of their lives after they escaped in 1876 and as they got older and started becoming part of the social fabric of America, ” Murphy said. “Nobody has actually tacked something like this before, and there’s something for everybody in it.” The book is filled with photographs, illustrations, maps, newspaper articles, letters, yarns, songs and poetry from the famous Fenians, with anecdotes and stories intertwined found from researching James Wilson’s life. “James Wilson was a military thing, and he was in the British army,” Murphy said. “But, you know, there was times when he was in the British army and he was stationed in Dublin that he wasn’t too happy about the British crown and how they were treating his countrymen — so he rebelled. Wilson’s capture, his 10 years in Fremantle prison and his dramatic escape onboard the Catalpa are all included in Murphy’s book, continuing through until his death in 1921.