[Intro]
Sad are the homes around Garryowen,
Since lost their joy and pride,
And the banshee cry ring every vale,
Along the Shannonside.

That city of the ancient walls,
Unbroken treaty stone,
Undying fame surrounds your name,
Sean South of Garryowen.

[Verse]
Well, it was on a dreary New Year's Eve as the shades of night came down,
A lorry load of volunteers approached the border town,
Well, there were men from Dublin and from Cork, Fermanagh and Tyrone,
Ah, but their leader was a Limerick man, Seán South of Garryowen.

And as they moved along the streets up to the barrack door,
They scorned the danger they might meet and the fate that lay in store,
They were fighting for old Ireland, to claim their very own,
And the foremost of that gallant band was South of Garryowen.

But the sergeant he foiled their daring plan, he spied them through the door,
The sten guns and the rifles screamed, a hail of death did roar,
And when that awful night was past, there two men lay as cold as stone,
There was one from near the border and one from Garryowen.

[Bridge]
Those men now lie, by Pearse's side, to face the dark alone,
For they did not fear the RUC or the specials on patrol,
They chose to fight for a nations rights, one land to claim their own,
Young O'Hanlon from a border town and Seán South from Garryowen.

[Verse]
No more he will hear the seagull's cry, o'er the murmuring Shannon tide,
For they fell beneath that northern sky, brave Hanlon by his side,
Now, they have gone to join that gallant band of Plunkett, Pearse and Tone,
Another martyr for old Ireland Seán South from Garryowen.