Banna Strand

'Twas on Good Friday morning
All in the month of May
A German ship was signalling
Beyond out in the bay
With twenty thousand rifles
All ready for to land
But no answering signal did come from
The lonely Banna Strand

"No signal answers from the shore,"
Sir Roger sadly said
"No comrades here to meet me
Alas, they must be dead
But I must do my duty
And at once I mean to land"
So in a small boat pulled ashore
On the lonely Banna Strand

Now, the RIC were hunting for
Sir Roger high and low
They found him at McKenna's Fort
Said they, "You are our foe"
Said he, "I'm Roger Casement
I came to my native land
I mean to free my countrymen
On the lonely Banna Strand"

They took Sir Roger prisoner
And sailed for London town
And in the Tower they laid him
A traitor to the Crown
Said he, "I am no traitor"
But his trial he had to stand
For bringing German rifles to
The 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
They buried him in British soil
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 Sixty-Five
And with his comrades of Sixteen
In peace and tranquil lies
His last fond wish, it is fulfilled
For to lie in his native land
And the waves will roll in peace again
On the lonely Banna Strand