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.

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Mel Whinnen - Former West Perth AFL Player

Paying tribute to Bill Dempsey

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Richard Offen - Historian, Author, Broadcaster

Farming.

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Matt Woods – Perth Observatory

• Asteroid That Was Thought to Hit the Moon in 2032
• Artemis II Moon Mission Update
• NASA and Boeing Starliner Investigation

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Ming Johanson

Tech History

• International Women's Day - Recognising Women who influenced technology.

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Wilf Chambers, John Luca and Dale Henry

2026 Mustang Nationals

15 March - Gloucester Park

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Damian Shepherd

State Archivist and Executive Director

State Records Office of Western Australia

Operation Plowshare

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Peter Taylor – Movies

Tribute to Robert Duvall

Godfather Part 2

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