Sean South of Garryowen

Sad are the homes round Garryowen Since they lost their joy and pride And the banshee cry links every vale Around the Shannon side that city of the ancient walls the broken treaty stone, undying fame surrounds your name, Sean South from Garryowen T'was on a dreary New Years Eve As the shades of night came down A lorry load of volunteers approached the border town There were men from Dublin and from Cork, Fermanagh and Tyrone And the leader was a Limerick man - Sean South from Garryowen As they moved along the street up to the barracks door They scorned the danger they might face Their fate that lay instore They were fighting for old Ireland to claim their very own And the foremost of that gallant band Was South from Garryowen But the seargent spied their daring plan He spied them trough the door The Sten guns and the rifles a hail of death did pour And when that awful night had passed Two men lay cold a stone There was one from near the border and one from Garryowen No more wil he hear the seagull's cry Over the murmurring Shannon tide For he fell beneath a Northern sky brave Hanlon by his side They have gone to join that gallant band Of Plunkett, Pearse and Tone A martyr for old Ireland Sean South from Garryowen --- Sean South of Garryowen - Wolfe Tones