As I came down by Newry town, a band of young men saw,
It was the first battalion of the men from South Armagh,
With a billy-i-o and a fol and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.

"Well, have you crossed the border man and have you travelled far,
Did you see the soldiers on patrol did were they in armoured cars",
With a billy-i-o and a fol and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.

"Well, I have crossed the border man and I have travelled far,
We saw the soldiers on patrol they were in two armoured cars",
With a billy-i-o and a fol and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.

"If this be true," our leader said, "We'll have to make a stand",
McVerry gave the orders then with a Thompson in his hand,
With a billy-i-o and a fol and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.

This band of freedom fighters now, they numbered barely ten,
They were neither man nor devil, no, they came from Crossmaglen,
With a billy-i-o and a fol and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.

Well, the paras come along the road and into view at last,
And a young man pulled the plunger and there was a mighty blast,
With a billy-i-o and a fol and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.

Well, we opened up along the ditch with every gun we had,
And when that fight had ended now we knew we'd hit them hard,
With a billy-i-o and a fol and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.

As I came down by Newry town, a band of young men saw,
And it was the first battalion of the men from South Armagh,
With a billy-i-o and a fol and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.