Kennedy Men, The

DESCRIPTION: "The northernmost part of bonnie Queensland Is held in possession by stout heard and hand; 'Twas settled by us... known... as the Kennedy Men." Dalrymple explored the area. They fought off their "foes." They hope all will be well now in Bowen
AUTHOR: George Loyou (source: Stewart/Keesing-FavoriteAustralianBallads)
EARLIEST DATE: 1967 (Stewart/Keesing-FavoriteAustralianBallads)
KEYWORDS: travel hardtimes home
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Stewart/Keesing-FavoriteAustralianBallads, pp. 72-73, "The Kennedy Men" (1 text)
Roud #27783
NOTES [111 words]: According to Andrew and Nancy Learmonth, Encyclopedia of Australia, 2nd edition, Warne & Co, 1973, p. 72, the town of Bowen "Lies on Port Denison, a fine natural harbour in the NW of Edgecumbe Bay.. Deceloped as an outlet for the N of Q[ueenslan]d, it soffuers from a more rugged immediate hinterland than Townsville... the port is declining with the concentration of bulk sugar at Mackay and Townsville."
There is a good Wikipedia entry on Bowen, which shows that it is still a relatively small town (about ten thousand people), and makes it clear that this song exaggerates the resistance of the natives to Dalrymple's exploratory party from the Spitfire. - RBW
Last updated in version 5.2
File: StKF072

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