It was on a dreary new years day

When the shade of night came down

And a lorry load of volunteers

Approached the border town

There were men from dublin and from cork

Fermanagh and tyrone

But the leader was a limerick man sean south of garryowen

And as they moved along the street

Up to the barracks door

They scorned the danger they might

Meet the fate that lay in store

They were fighting for old ireland to make their very own

And the foremost of this gallant band

Was south of garryowen

But the seargant spoiled their daring

Plans he spied them through the door

And with sten guns and the rifles a

Hail of death did pour

And when that awful night was past

Two men lay cold as stone

There was one from near the border

And one from garryowen

No more he'll hear the seagull

Cry o'er the murmuring shannon tide

For he fell beneath a northern

Sky brave o'hanlon by his side

He has gone to join that gallant

Band of plunkett pearse and tone

Another martyr for old ireland sean

South from garryowen