Joseph Smith: Irish Navvy – 1888 | Year 6 Monologue

Dia dhuit! My name is Joseph Smith, a 24 year old man from a small town in Ireland called Kells. I do miss me ma and me da, but I’ve gotta tell ye’, Cairns is much much warmer than the cold climate at home! We started work here around two years ago and I tink we might be here for a while longer. It doesn’t look like a railway just yet!

We work very hard for little money – around 8 shillings a day! Me and me mates are not at all happy about it, especially when the guys I work with get all sorts of sicknesses on the job. Lots of the micks are attacked by the auld ticks and mossies, they seem to like our pale skin! They bite and spread an awful disease called Malaria. Snakes are also horrible in this tropical place, their venom causes great pain and even death!! That is what I’m most scared of when doing this huge project. My friend Will passed away the other week after a brown snake got him, they are scarier than the steep cliffs we have to build on (Looks up) I’ll never forget you Will. (Sniffles) Some 25 others are dead from the construction as well, they’re dropping like flies, quite literally, a young man fell off a bridge only two days ago! It’s been a horrible couple of years really. They say this railway will be about 25 miles long. A mile for each of the lads that have died out here so far. Jeepers, I hope no more die. They also say it will be steam powered. Imagine, a steam powered train going through fifteen tunnels and across 55 bridges, in this vast rainforest. Is it any wonder us Navvies are SO knackered every night from all the work.

There’s times I really miss Ireland, the craic and the music and the pints in the pub. But I had to move because there’s not much work there since the famine. The people at home are still haunted by it. So, I’m lucky to be here. I've only heard from me ma and da once by letter and they said they are well, please God I hope they still are.

Well I should probably get back to work now. (Points to sunset) It’s nearly the end of the day. (Looks around) Lets do it all today for less work tomorrow!