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

"Oh, have you crossed the border man and did ye come that far,
Did you meet the soldiers on the road did they have armoured car",
With a billy-i-o and a pow and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.

"Well, I have crossed the border man and I have travelled far,
Well, I met the soldiers on the road they were in two armoured car",
With a billy-i-o and a pow and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.

"If this be true," their leader said, "It's here we'll make our stand",
McVerry gave the order then with a Thompson in his hand,
With a billy-i-o and a pow and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.

This band of freedom fighters now, they numbered barely ten,
They are neither man nor devil, sure they came from Crossmaglen,
With a billy-i-o and a pow and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.

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

We opened up along the ditch with every gun we had,
And before the ambush finished then we knew we'd hit them bad,
With a billy-i-o and a pow and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.

When politicians raise their hands, "An act of terror", say,
They let us rot for fifteen years and it was the only way,
With a billy-i-o and a pow and a do and a billy-i-o-i-a.