[Verse]
Near the town of Liscannor in the county of Clare,
Where many great Irishmen's plans were laid bare,
You saw the wild seas as you stood on the heath,
And you wondered and gazed at the ocean beneath.

Your life of religion was never to be,
You soon found your way to the land of the free,
In the state of New Jersey, perfected your plan,
And your work was unveiled as the Great Fenian Ram.

[Chorus]
Some men for adventure had planned for the stars,
And others had hope to see Venus or Mars,
And you worked and you laboured to build your wild dream,
That you'd be the man with the first submarine.

[Verse]
O'Donovan Rossa, bold Breslin, Devoy,
Knew that Holland's invention was for real and no toy,
For to take on the ships of the British Navy,
And all would be done, now, from under the sea,

The English protested, complained to Old Sam,
Of a mischievous boat called the Great Fenian Ram,
Oh, he's just an inventor, we'd nothing now to hide,
Oh, John Bull was so angry when the Yankees replied.

[Chorus]
Some men for adventure had planned for the stars,
And others had hope to see Venus or Mars,
Oh, you worked and you laboured to build your wild dream,
That you'd be the man with the first submarine.

[Verse]
Neath the waves of the ocean, this craft was at home,
And the Fenians had plans for the boat for to roam,
In the Passaic River, your friends were amazed,
As the ship moved so silent neath the rivers and waves.

An attack on the Empire was prevented by spies,
And the cause was all crushed mid dissension and lies,
But Uncle Sam's navy was so proud of your boat,
That the Holland's the name of the first sub afloat.

[Chorus]
Some men for adventure had planned for the stars,
And others had hope to see Venus or Mars,
But you worked and you laboured to build your wild dream,
That you'd be the man with the first submarine.

[Verse]
And here, as I stand beside New York Bay,
I can see all the ways you're remembered today,
For your name, it is written on tunnels and on ships,
On the streets of New York and on New Jersey slips.

Be proud, sons of Erin, an Irishman he,
John Holland, the first for to voyage neath the sea,
Let the Statue of Liberty a beacon shine free,
For John Holland, the first for to voyage neath the sea.

[Chorus]
Some men for adventure had planned for the stars,
And others had hope to see Venus or Mars,
But you worked and you laboured to build your wild dream,
That you'd be the man with the first submarine.