Twas on Good Friday morning, all in the month of May,
A German ship was lying there, beyond there in the Bay,
With twenty thousand rifles all ready for to land,
But no answering signal came from the lonely Banna Strand.
A motorcar was dashing through the early morning gloom
A sudden crash, and in the sea they went to meet their doom
Two Irish lads lay dying there just like their hopes so grand
They could not give the signal now on lonely Banna Strand.
"No signal answers from the shore", Sir Roger sadly said,
"No comrades here to welcome me: alas, they must be dead,
But I must do my duty and so I mean to land."
So in a boat he pulled ashore on lonely Banna Strand.
The R.I.C. were hunting for Sir Roger high and low.
They found him at McKenna's ford: Said they "You are our foe".
Said he, "I'm Roger Casement, I came to Ireland,
To try and free my countrymen on lonely Banna Strand."
They took Sir Roger prisoner, and they sailed for London town,
And in the Tower they named him a traitor to the Crown.
Said he, "I am no traitor", but his trial he had to stand,
For bringing German rifles to lonely Banna Strand.
'Twas in an English prison that they led him to his death,
"I'm dying for my country", he said with his last breath,
He's buried in a prison yard, far from his native land,
And the wild waves sing his requiem on the lonely Banna Strand.
They took Sir Roger home again in the year of '65,
And with his comrades of '16 in peace and tranquil lies.
His last wishes have been fulfilled: he's home in Ireland,
And the waves will roll in peace again on lonely Banna Strand
A German ship was lying there, beyond there in the Bay,
With twenty thousand rifles all ready for to land,
But no answering signal came from the lonely Banna Strand.
A motorcar was dashing through the early morning gloom
A sudden crash, and in the sea they went to meet their doom
Two Irish lads lay dying there just like their hopes so grand
They could not give the signal now on lonely Banna Strand.
"No signal answers from the shore", Sir Roger sadly said,
"No comrades here to welcome me: alas, they must be dead,
But I must do my duty and so I mean to land."
So in a boat he pulled ashore on lonely Banna Strand.
The R.I.C. were hunting for Sir Roger high and low.
They found him at McKenna's ford: Said they "You are our foe".
Said he, "I'm Roger Casement, I came to Ireland,
To try and free my countrymen on lonely Banna Strand."
They took Sir Roger prisoner, and they sailed for London town,
And in the Tower they named him a traitor to the Crown.
Said he, "I am no traitor", but his trial he had to stand,
For bringing German rifles to lonely Banna Strand.
'Twas in an English prison that they led him to his death,
"I'm dying for my country", he said with his last breath,
He's buried in a prison yard, far from his native land,
And the wild waves sing his requiem on the lonely Banna Strand.
They took Sir Roger home again in the year of '65,
And with his comrades of '16 in peace and tranquil lies.
His last wishes have been fulfilled: he's home in Ireland,
And the waves will roll in peace again on lonely Banna Strand