The Black and Tans arrive in Ireland | Jan - Mar 1920 - Episode 20

In January 1920 a small group of young, oddly dressed, British ex-servicemen arrived in Ireland. They had been recruited to reinforce the ranks of the Royal Irish Constabulary and take on the Irish Republican Army. Their strange mix of military and police clothing was the result of a uniform shortage and the bemused Irish people quickly nicknamed them the Black and Tans. Sent to Ireland to restore law and order, they would some become famous throughout the world for their brutality and violence.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the books used to research this episode, please consider using the affiliate links below to support the continued production of The Irish Nation Lives.

References:
D. M. Leeson - “The Black and Tans”
Benjamin Grob-Fitzgibbon - “Turning Points of the Irish Revolution”

Social Media:

Main Sources:

Photos:
Military Archives
NLI Flickr account
Wiki Commons

[liverpoolscottish]

My paternal grandfather, whom I never met because he died in 1965, served in the British Army during WW1. He volunteered at 17 and joined the Royal Lancashire Regt- which eventually became Kings Own Royal Border Regt. He 'celebrated' his 18th birthday in the mud of the trenches in Ypres. In 1917, he was badly injured by 5.9 inch shell fire in a school yard in Ypres. He was subsequently evacuated home to Blighty, where he was treated for his injuries. He was duly declared unfit for further service on the western front, and he was sent to Dublin, where he was part of the garrison at Kilmainham gaol. He spoke to my father about the Black & Tans, he despised them and referred to them as, "The scum of the British Army." He was well aware of the poor discipline and routine brutality, which he thoroughly detested. The Black & Tans deployment was a huge mistake, they were a great recruiting Sgt for the IRA.

[kingkong-vyhd]

Well researched and historically accurate. Well done, there are so many inaccurate videos depicting the Revolutionary period online, great to see a good one.

[johncenaversusthings]

Very good work on that video! As a non native English speaker, the provided subtitles are very much appreciated!

[TheIrishNationLives]

The first batches of British recruits to the RIC were arriving on Irish shores 100 years ago. Initially dressed in a mixture of police and military uniform, they were all in the rifle-green/black of the RIC by winter. The Auxiliaries on the other hand were actively encouraged to wear different military and police uniforms and even to mix them. This caused confusion at the time and continues to do so today. A lot of the pictures of "Black and Tans" that you will find online and see in newspapers in the years ahead are actually of the Auxiliaries.

[donalfinn]

Excellent. Have just discovered this page. Subbed.

[mossie]

“The English are gone Bull” “Gone, but not forgotten”.

[marknagle]

Fantastic to hear a correct telling of this awful part of our Nations history

[robertdoyle]

My grandparents home, in Tullow Co Carlow, was trashed twice by these 'troubled' ex-soldiers. They behaved like animals my father told me ! Robert Doyle, Scotland

[maryarigho]

Mr Treacy, , a friend's father, like my family, Irish, living in Birmingham UK, was good friends with a local man when, to his horror, he found that he had been a Black and Tan. Never spoke to him again.

[stephenmcmahon]

Irish history should be mandatory in English schools.

[RobRoyBoaz]

My great uncle was in the IRA at that time. He killed several B and T. I got the stories directly from him. Proud of him. Wished he had killed more.

[stevethomas]

Thank you for an in depth analysis of the infamous Black and Tans. Broken soliders with PTSD armed a recipe for disaster.

[kevinruddy]

Teach the Irish how to forget, and maybe get the English to be humble enough to remember 🤔?

[seanbrown]

My grandfather served aged 16 from 1916 to 1921 as a IRA volunteer but never got HIS medal

[King.Mark.]

I think saying that the black and tan where not prisoners let free to terrors the people of Ireland is even worse if this is the english standard of what descent solders are that fight for them,

[timothyrobson]

@10 seconds in Dublin Metropolitan Police. Not RIC. Note their height in comparison to the British Army officers.

[Elle_Gowing]

They had uniforms to identify them then, now they come by stealth in sleeper cells.

[ryanflanigan]

Irish history is something the English should remember, and the Irish should forget...

[robertcrowther]

What people forget is this was a different age when I was young my parents had a pub in Manchester I used to talk to the old men who had fought in the world war some had been black and tans one thing I noticed is how to me now they seemed to be loyal to king and country they believed they were doing it for the king as far as they being short and only weighing 10 stone that was normal in Britain at that time many were powerful ex miners and had spent years killing the Kings enemies its strange how the Irish have forgotten the the Irish have fought all over the world as mercenaries for money and fame .the alamo custers la St stand Waterloo South America the US civil war so don't condem others who have done the same and yes I'm of Irish decent

[darrenfarrell-bncb]

A lot of RIC Went straight into the Garda a The time and Carried On,
( Funny Feeling PSNI Will follow suit shortly) Some in already 2024 .