Escape – Fremantle to Freedom

The exhibition, Escape! Fremantle to Freedom, was based on the dramatic escape of six Irish Fenian prisoners from the Convict Establishment (Fremantle Prison) in 1876. A Fenian was a member of an association of Irishmen (the Fenian Brotherhood) founded in the late 1850s with the aim of overthrowing the British Government in Ireland. The name comes from Fianna; the legendary warriors of Irish mythology. Curated by and first shown at Fremantle Prison in December 2006, the exhibition traced the story of the Fenians and their daring escapes to America and followed the tale from Ireland to England to Australia, and finally to the USA. Convict life was explored in Australia’s last convict Prison; Fremantle Prison. The Fenians were amongst the final group of convicts sent to England’s distant outpost and were involved in the only two completely successful escapes in the history of the prison.