Banna Strand (song)
Encyclopedia
Banna Strand is an Irish rebel song
about the failed transport of arms into Ireland for use in the Easter Rising
. Authorship of the song is unknown. The final verse was written by Derek Warfield
of the Wolfe Tones
in 1965 when Roger Casement
's remains were finally returned to Ireland
.
A German ship
was signalling, way out there in the bay.
'We've twenty thousand rifles here, all ready for to land.'
But no answering signal came to them
from lonely Banna Strand
.
A motor-car went dashing through the early morning gloom.
A sudden crash, and in the sea, they went to meet their doom
Two Irish lads were drown'ded there, just like their hopes so grand
They would not give the signal now
from 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 at once I mean to land,'
So in a boat he pulled ashore
to lonely Banna Strand.
The German ship was lying there, with rifles in galore.
Up came a British ship and spoke, 'No Germans reach the shore;
You are our Empire's enemy, and so we bid you stand.
No German boot shall e'er pollute
the lonely Banna Strand.'
As they sailed for Queenstown
Harbour, said the Germans: 'We're undone
The British have us vanquish'd: man for man and gun for gun.
We've twenty thousand rifles here, that never will reach land.
We'll sink them all, and bid farewell
to lonely Banna Strand.'
The R.I.C.
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, here upon my native land,
I meant to free my countrymen
on lonely Banna Strand.'
They took Sir Roger prisoner and they sailed for London Town,
Where in the Tow'r they laid him, as 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 dear,' 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 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 fulfilled for to lay in his native land
And the waves will roll in peace again
On the lonely Banna Strand.
Irish rebel music
Irish rebel music is a subgenre of Irish folk music, with much the same instrumentation, but with lyrics predominantly concerned with Irish republicanism.-History:...
about the failed transport of arms into Ireland for use in the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
. Authorship of the song is unknown. The final verse was written by Derek Warfield
Derek Warfield
Derek Warfield is an Irish singer, songwriter, historian, and a founding member of the musical group Wolfe Tones.-Personal life:Warfield was born the eldest of four in Inchicore, Dublin in 1943 and he was educated at Synge Street CBS. He was apprenticed as a tailor until becoming a folk musician....
of the Wolfe Tones
Wolfe Tones
The Wolfe Tones are an Irish rebel music band who incorporate elements of Irish traditional music in their songs. They are named after the Irish rebel and patriot Theobald Wolfe Tone, one of the leaders of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, with the double entendre that a wolf tone is a spurious sound...
in 1965 when Roger Casement
Roger Casement
Roger David Casement —Sir Roger Casement CMG between 1911 and shortly before his execution for treason, when he was stripped of his British honours—was an Irish patriot, poet, revolutionary, and nationalist....
's remains were finally returned to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Lyrics
'Twas on Good Friday morning, all on an April dayA German ship
Aud
Aud might refer to*Australian dollar *Ambedkar University, Delhi *American University in Dubai *Doctor of Audiology *Auðr, the son of Nótt and Naglfari in Norse mythology...
was signalling, way out there in the bay.
'We've twenty thousand rifles here, all ready for to land.'
But no answering signal came to them
from lonely Banna Strand
Banna Strand
Banna Strand, also known as Banna Beach, is situated in Tralee Bay. It is an Atlantic Ocean beach extending from Ballyheigue Beach at the Blackrock in the North to Barrow Beach at its southern edge, located in County Kerry. It is located approx 12 km north west of Tralee. It features sand...
.
A motor-car went dashing through the early morning gloom.
A sudden crash, and in the sea, they went to meet their doom
Two Irish lads were drown'ded there, just like their hopes so grand
They would not give the signal now
from 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 at once I mean to land,'
So in a boat he pulled ashore
to lonely Banna Strand.
The German ship was lying there, with rifles in galore.
Up came a British ship and spoke, 'No Germans reach the shore;
You are our Empire's enemy, and so we bid you stand.
No German boot shall e'er pollute
the lonely Banna Strand.'
As they sailed for Queenstown
Cobh
Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
Harbour, said the Germans: 'We're undone
The British have us vanquish'd: man for man and gun for gun.
We've twenty thousand rifles here, that never will reach land.
We'll sink them all, and bid farewell
to lonely Banna Strand.'
The R.I.C.
Royal Irish Constabulary
The armed Royal Irish Constabulary was Ireland's major police force for most of the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. A separate civic police force, the unarmed Dublin Metropolitan Police controlled the capital, and the cities of Derry and Belfast, originally with their own police...
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, here upon my native land,
I meant to free my countrymen
on lonely Banna Strand.'
They took Sir Roger prisoner and they sailed for London Town,
Where in the Tow'r they laid him, as 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 dear,' 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 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 fulfilled for to lay in his native land
And the waves will roll in peace again
On the lonely Banna Strand.