Sixteen Dead Men Lyrics
Lisa LambeMusic Video
Sixteen Dead Men Lyrics
Song Details
✍️ Poet: W. B. Yeats - one of Ireland’s greatest poets and a central figure in the Irish Literary Revival. His works blend history, mythology, politics, and a deep sense of national identity.
🎶Composer: Steve Lynch - Irish composer and producer known for his atmospheric, cinematic approach to music. His work often blends traditional Irish elements with modern soundscapes, creating pieces that feel both rooted and contemporary.
📝Song Brief:
“Sixteen Dead Men” is W.B. Yeats’s powerful poetic response to the execution of the sixteen leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. Written in 1917, the poem reflects Yeats’s belief that the British government’s actions transformed public opinion and awakened a new political consciousness in Ireland. Steve Lynch’s musical setting, performed by Lisa Lambe, brings a haunting emotional depth to Yeats’s words, blending poetry, history, and contemporary Irish artistry. The piece stands as a tribute to the men whose deaths reshaped Ireland’s path toward independence.
The Sixteen Executed Leaders — Between 3 and 12 May 1916, sixteen men were executed for their roles in the Easter Rising. Fifteen were shot by firing squad at Kilmainham Gaol, and one — Roger Casement — was hanged at Pentonville Prison in London. Their ages ranged from young men in their mid‑twenties to leaders in their late fifties, and their deaths profoundly shifted public opinion in Ireland.
Executed at Kilmainham Gaol (by firing squad):- Patrick Pearse — 36
- Thomas MacDonagh — 39
- Thomas Clarke — 58
- Joseph Plunkett — 28
- Edward Daly — 25
- Michael O’Hanrahan — 39
- William Pearse — 34
- John MacBride — 47
- Éamonn Ceannt — 34
- Michael Mallin — 41
- Seán Heuston — 25
- Con Colbert — 27
- Seán Mac Diarmada — 33
- James Connolly — 47
- Thomas Kent — 51 (executed in Cork Detention Barracks)
- Roger Casement — 51 (Pentonville Prison, London)
🍀 Genre: Irish Poetic Folk / Historical Ballad
🎤 Featured Artist: Lisa Lambe - an acclaimed Irish singer and actress known for her expressive, ethereal vocal style and her deep connection to traditional and contemporary Irish music. A former member of Celtic Woman, she has built a celebrated solo career marked by emotional storytelling and a distinctive, haunting clarity in her voice.
💿 Single: Sixteen Dead Men (W.B. Yeats)
Released: 2016
Format: Digital download / Streaming
Label: Nine Rivers
