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New website allows you to discover if your grandfather fought with the Black and Tans

Full Irish military history now available online

CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 7:58 AM

Updated Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 11:17 AM

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Black and Tans controlling the crowds in Stoneybatter, north Dublin city.

Photo by Google Images

Now is your chance to solve that old mystery – was your grandfather a hero of the 1916 Rising? Did your grandmother stand up to the Black and Tans? Did your family suffer a Civil War split?

The Irish Army is finally ready to answer all those questions and more with a new online service that chronicles Ireland’s military past.

The Irish Times reports that the country’s Defence Forces have just launched a new website at www.militaryarchives.ie, which offers a fascinating insight into Ireland’s past.

The information dates back to the formation of the State with some material from the British Army, prior to their departure in 1922, also available online.

The Army believe the details now available on the website will be invaluable to professional and amateur historians, genealogists, and members of the public keen to trace their family tree.

All the information online is also available to the public at the Irish state’s military archives in Dublin’s Cathal Brugha Barracks.

The Army also plans to publish online, by March, some 36,000 pages of witness statements from key military events which shaped pre-Independence Ireland from 1913-1921.
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Defence Forces spokesman Capt Stephen MacEoin said: “This project will provide a major and never before seen insight into the 1916 Rising and the War of Independence.

“The documents include some 1,773 statements by men and women who were eye-witnesses to some of the most dramatic events in Irish history.

“The website will allow Irish people around the world to search for information not just about a family member but also their own parish or county.”

Capt MacEoin also confirmed to the Irish Times that the Military Archives will also release files from those who claim to have fought for Irish freedom. Many of these submissions were made by people as they sought a Free State pension.

The Army believe the publication of this ‘privately submitted’ information will be ‘ground breaking’.

Original maps, plans, and drawings pertaining to the construction and maintenance of military barracks in Ireland from 1830 to 1980 will also be published.

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ciaradexy | Jan 25, 2012, 08:44 AM EST

Madeline, I have grandparents and great grandparents who fought with the IRA and the British. When we grew up we were taught our history from my parents and my grandparents. We were given the info, told to have pride in our families history and then we were told not to hold grudges in any way shape or form as it was all part of our history and then we just got on with our lives. Why Americans cant do the same is beyond me.

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Madeliene | Jan 04, 2012, 09:43 PM EST

As I said on facebook ( too angry to see where I was ) My mom & pop told me about the "worthy" Black & Tans marching past a shack one day - when a little 3 year old lad watching them go by, put up his little arm & yelled "up the Irish!" The child was hit by the worthy tan in the side of his little head with the butt of the tan's rifle... He was forever blind in one eye. So, they want to put up a memorial before everyone forgets? My mom & pop are gone now, my pop's 13 brothers & sisters are( as far as the ones who came to America) the "worthy" Black & Tans monument should be put up quickly - as the people who REALLY remember- and suffered at their "worthy" hands, fists & rifle butts are dead and gone. As my Pop woould have said "piss off!"

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patriot | Jan 04, 2012, 05:35 PM EST

These testaments from the real people who lived their lives during the era make plain that ALL BRITISH BASED SCHOLARSHIP ON THE RISING IS PROPAGANDA. I'm a historian so I know this to be a FACT. Don't believe me? Read them all for your self as I have. They were originally published ten years ago and each testament is supported by data in the testamnet of another person. They all show that the RUC, the Black & Tans and the Auxileries were all as bad as Hitler's nazis: Torture, murder and intimadation of females was their techniques, just like all evil armies.

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IrelandNorth | Jan 04, 2012, 05:33 AM EST

Looks like British troops doing crowd control in Stoneybatter (Nth. Inner City Dublin), not 'Tans', who wore regular Army khaki (tan) tunics and bottle green ('black') RIC trousers. (The troubles caused many to have colour blindness). PS An army has offensive capability which the Irish 'Army' doesn't have. Hence Defence Forces.

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stmungo | Jan 03, 2012, 05:31 PM EST

Because they went to live in Ballymena, and when it was found out that my gran. was catholic they had to flee back to Donegal as their house was burnt down. After they had been drummed out !

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Kilsally | Jan 03, 2012, 05:26 PM EST

Interestingly the Irish government are currently looking at pardoning Irish Army soldiers that joined the British Army during the World War but were blacklisted by the Irish government on their return via the 'starvation order' which blockedthe war heroes from receiving government jobs our pensions

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bob40wil | Jan 03, 2012, 01:20 PM EST

stmungo, why is it unfortunate that your grandfather was Protestant?

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Sparklet | Jan 03, 2012, 12:12 PM EST

I wouldn't want to know. What point would it serve?

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PhlutiePhan | Jan 03, 2012, 11:09 AM EST

My recently deceased Irish mother (Byrne) was doing research on her family tree. One of her grandfathers had the name of Brice. There were no Irish by that name and it turns out that he had killed a Black and Tan and left for the U.S. and changed his name from Breslin.

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joepen5 | Jan 03, 2012, 11:03 AM EST

Great site and I had no issues, but I think IrishCentral has been overwhelming their website sending so many people there from this story.

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stmungo | Jan 03, 2012, 10:36 AM EST

Unfortunately, my grandpa was a Protestant from Ballymena , but he did have the good fortune of falling in love with a Connaghan from Gartan. Fortunately ,as it is with most such unions the females religion took precedence. Thank the Lord! So I could have a grandpa who fought on both sides, one for the enemy and one for Ireland.

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stmungo | Jan 03, 2012, 10:29 AM EST

The headline reads fought " with" the black & tans. Does that mean alongside them or against them?

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mcmeprII | Jan 03, 2012, 09:59 AM EST

I get the same message when I try to access the pages????

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Clancey | Jan 03, 2012, 09:42 AM EST

This is great news. The Witness Statements are fascinating; the deponents were encouraged to give detailed accounts of their activities and to give as many names as possible of others who participated, in order to corroborate their claims for pensions from the Irish government. Many remember the arrival of uniformed soldiers in their homes to take a statement from a grandmother or grandfather as a momentous event. This is far more than genealogy; it is oral history being made available to scholars and to the interested public. I have read many Statements at Cathal Brugha Barracks and in the National Archives; to have them easily accessible online now is simply wonderful. Thanks to all who participated in this project, which has been talked about (and rumored) for years.

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jsupplesnap | Jan 03, 2012, 09:34 AM EST

When will the website be available. Seems to be down at the moment : Database Error The current username, password or host was not accepted when the connection to the database was attempted to be established!

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