Sung by Barrie Roberts.
Seán South (Irish: Seán Sabhat; 1929--1 January 1957) was the leader of an IRA military column fatally wounded during an attempt to storm a Royal Ulster Constabulary barracks in Brookeborough, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland on New Year's Day, 1957 during the border campaign of 1956--1962.
The raid by 14 men was a complete failure, with two mines intended to breach the barracks defences failing to explode, thus allowing time for defensive fire to kill two of the attackers, South and Fergal O'Hanlon. Another four were wounded. The truck containing the raiders had pulled up outside the wrong house.
"Sean South" was written by Seamus O'Dufaigh, of Achadh Mor, County Mayo and made famous by the Wolfe Tones. The popularity of this song has led to the misconception that South was from Garryowen, an area of Limerick city. In fact, this was poetic license on O'Dufaigh's part - South was actually from O'Connell Avenue.
Video clips courtesy "The Secret History of the IRA".
