Jack Donahue facts for kids

John Donahue (c. 1806 – 1 September 1830), also spelled Donohoe, and known as Jack Donahue and Bold Jack Donahue, was an Irish-born bushranger in Australia between 1825 and 1830. He became part of the notorious "Wild Colonial Boys".

Early life and transportation

Donahue was born in Dublin, Ireland c.1806. An orphan, he began pick-pocketing and, after later involvement in a burglary, was convicted of intent to commit a felony in 1823. After being detained aboard HMS Surprise, a convict hulk moored in Cork, in September 1824, he was transferred to the ship Ann and Amelia and transported with 200 other prisoners to Australia, arriving in Sydney in January 1825. Upon being shown his cell at Carter's barracks, Donahue remarked 'A home for life'. During his early imprisonment, he was twice sentenced to fifty lashes as punishment.

Bushranging

Donahue escaped to the bush from the Quakers Hill farm with two men named George Kilroy and William Smith. They formed an outlaw gang. They stripped wealthy landowners of their clothing, money and food. Servants on the farms sometimes provided them with information about their masters, and at times even provided them with food and shelter.

On 14 December 1827, Donohue and his gang were arrested for robbing on the Sydney to Windsor Road. On 1 March 1828, Judge John Stephen of the Supreme Court of Sydney sentenced them all to death. Between the court and the gaol, Donohue managed to escaped from custody.

Wild Colonial Boys

Evading capture, Donohue linked up with other criminals to rob isolated farms around Bathurst. In order to restore the law, the government sent reinforcements and aboriginal trackers. It didn't take long for the posse to catch up with the bandits. A shoot-out occurred and Donohue managed to escape.

Returning to more familiar territory, near Windsor, Donohue linked up with others to continue his life of crime. He later become one of the "Wild Colonial Boys", a loose bonded gang of twelve to fifteen men. Donohue's cunning and guile soon had him on equal standing as the leaders of this gang of Underwood and MacNamara. These two had the reputation for wily pluck, daring and desperation. The gang would operate in groups of three or four in order to bail up settlers and plunder property from Bathurst to Yass and from the Hunter region to the Illawarra.

In 1829, notices were distributed with a reward of £20 for Donohue's capture, describing him as '22 years of age, 5 feet 4 inches [163 cm] in height, brown freckled complexion, flaxen hair, blue eyes, and has a scar under the left nostril'. One year later, the reward increased to £200.

In groups of three or four, they laid in wait for travellers on the highway or, knowing settlers to be away from home, they would attack and plunder their houses. They even attacked the toll house and carried off everything worth taking. Donohue's tact and ways of only robbing the better off procured him a host of friends among the poorer settlers. They gave the police false information about him and, when they were dogging him rather too hard, the settlers stowed him away in their back rooms or under the beds.

An act was passed authorising the justices to issue warrants for searching the houses of the settlers suspected. To make matters more lively, a proclamation was issued promising a reward, a free pardon, and a cheap trip to England to any convict, and acreage of land to any free person who would lodge Donohue, MacNamara, or Underwood in custody.

Death

In the late afternoon of 1 September 1830, Donohue was shot dead by John Muckleston, following a shootout between bushrangers and soldiers at Bringelly, New South Wales. The Sydney Gazette, on behalf of "all respectable citizens", rejoiced at Donohue's death.

Popular culture

In 1833, Donohue's life was recounted in the theatre play The Tragedy of Donohoe', by Charles Harpur, later published in 1853 as 'The Bushrangers'.

Donohue was also immortalised in the ballad 'The Wild Colonial Boy'. Authorities tried to ban the song, but failed. Instead it became a ballad of defiance, continuing to be sung by generations of Australians and becoming part of Australia's folklore. With time, the lyrics changed Donohue's name to Jack Doolan, Jack Dowling, Jack Doogan and even Jim Doolan. The ethos line that struck a chord was "'I'll fight but not surrender 'til I die', cried the Wild Colonial Boy."

The song “Jim Jones at Botany Bay” is an Australian folk song that mentions Donohue.

See also

• List of convicts transported to Australia