Who Were the 'Black and Tans'? | 5 Minute History: Episode 5

Who were the 'Black and Tans', and why are they being called out to 'fight like men?' In this 5 minute history, an introduction to the Black and Tans, the infamous police unit that aided the Royal Irish Constabulary during the Irish War of Independence or Anglo-Irish War fought between 1919-1922. More on recent Irish History and the Troubles in my dedicated videos below.

Intro Meme Credit:

How a Dutch King in the 17th Century Started the Troubles:

Who were the IRA? | 5 Minute History:

Who were the UDA? | 5 Minute History:

What Happened to the Old Irish Flag?

The Northern Irish Flag: The Red Hand of Ulster:

The Real History Behind the Peaky Blinders:

Raid the Merch Market:

Go Fund My Windmills (Patreon):

Join in the Banter on Twitter:

Enter the Fray on Facebook:

Indulge in some Instagram..?(the alliteration needs to stop):

Music Used:
Loopster - Kevin MacLeod

#Ireland #WW1 #Eire

[alfiejob]

The interesting thing about the song "Come out ye Black and Tans" is that it's not actually about the B&T or the Irish war of independence. It's actually about a street fight between Anti- and Pro-Treaty republicans. The songwriter used B&T as a derogatory term for Pro-Treaty republicans.

[JT-uwxi]

fun fact: Michael Griffins niece is still alive and lives down the road from me

[kingjoerd]

You are only partially right about the Green hats being seen as black, but the black really came from when they first showed up there and some of them had on a dark tunic with khaki pants sometimes vice versa and the dark green hat, which made them resemble Kerry Beagles, a dog breed that has a similar color scheme that people referred to as "black and tans".

[Paul__Allen]

Black and tans: Brutally repress the Irish
The irish: fight back.

Black and tans: "Shocked" 😲

[AverytheCubanAmerican]

Come out ye black and tans, come out and fight me like a man!
Show your wife how you won medals down in FLAAAANDERS!
Tell her how the IRA made you run like hell away
From the green and lovely lanes of Killashandra


Whether you support the movement or not, you have to admit this song's a banger

[kightsun]

The song is ironic considering the two sides' fighting styles.

[jovanweismiller]

Get your facts straight, Hilbert! The British Union of Fascists wasn't even formed until 1932, so I seriously doubt they were protesting the Tans in 1920. It's true the founder of the BUF, Oswald Mosley protested the Tans, but he was a member of the Tory Party at the time. He left it over the Irish question and sat as an Independent, before becoming a Member of the Labour Party and a Minister in the Labour Government of Ramsay MacDonald.

[annrobinson]

My granny lived through the tans period in Belfast. The people her age were traumatised for all of their lives by what they witnessed from the tans. The description “black” to describe someone in Ireland is not used to describe any outward appearance it means a type of darkness about that person or place.

[eoinfenton]

They engaged in a particularly egregious campaign in South Galway, including the shooting dead of a pregnant 24 year old mother who was holding her baby at the door of her house as they drove by. She was fired on from a moving truck and left to bleed out on her front lawn.

[The_Republic_of_Ireland]

A woman in the village over from me was shot by the Tans after she was bringing home a basket of spuds and they thought she had guns in it instead. The next day her husband joined the IRA

[MRAnonomousMAN]

great video. However the use of "conscripted" is used improperly in your video. Conscription is the act of forcing a person into a military force. They willingly joined the RIC. The correct word to use here would be "enlisted" other than that great job!!!

[micahistory]

congratulations on finally reaching 300, 000 subscribers!

[HistoryOfRevolutions]

"Beware the horns of a bull, the heels of the horse, and the smile of an Englishman"

- James Joyce

[dirlegangergaming]

"Best thing they left was the song"
You mean actually...
NOW YOUVE HEARD ABOUT GREAT ARMIES, THAT CONQUERED FAR AND NEAR

[carmelmulroy]

Loads of the IRA men at that time had served in WWI as well such as my husband's grandfather. And he didn't run around burning down people's houses and businesses.

[padraigpearse]

My great great uncle took part in the burning of the custom house and was capture by the tans and they tortured him. They beat the hell out of him and tore out his fingernails but he never gave any information and he was released after the truce was signed

[micahistory]

These guys basically undermined the entire British cause there

[abrahamjenkins]

Random questions but does anyone know why the kings of Denmark and Sweden gave up the title "King of the Geats" in 1972 and 1973 respectively?

[oliversherman]

I'm British and I've got the song "Come Out Ye Blanch And Tans" stuck in my head from constantly getting video recommendations of it on YouTube lol

[davidbowie]

As an Irish, Black and Tan lived in our memories forever as the most hated foes. Their ruthlessness is still being taught in schools which such disdains.