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People and Politics by Patrick Roberts

Black and Tans were not so bad says new book ---savagery in Irish War of Independence on all sides

Posted on Monday, August 29, 2011 at 07:12 PM

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The Black and Tans were not so bad after all it seems according to a new book.

That will come as disturbing news to millions of Irish Americans including, by his own account, Vice President Joe Biden, who were raised on stories of Black and Tans atrocities in Ireland during the War of Independence.

(The above picture is a still from the movie "The Wind that Shakes the Barley" on this very topic)

The Black and Tans were generally thought of as the scum of the British system, psychopaths released from jails and turned into an evil militia and sent to Ireland.

Not so says a new book by historian David Leeson entitled "The Black and Tans; British Police and Auxiliaries in the Irish War of Independence 1920-21." It is published by Oxford University Press.

The book was reviewed by Eunan O' Halpin in The Irish Times and he says it will open many eyes.

Among the major surprises I found reading his review was that many of the Black and Tans were actually Irish-born and that regular soldiers were far more likely to commit atrocities.

O'Halpin writes; "Leeson’s careful analysis of Black and Tan recruitment disposes of the widely aired charge that these temporary policemen were the sweepings of the British penal system. Rather, they were a miscellany of British and Irish ex-servicemen, almost none of whom had criminal records. "

"He also suggests that pre-First World War soldiers were more likely than younger Black and Tans to commit disciplinary and criminal offenses in Ireland, challenging the assumption that the chronic ill discipline of these temporary policemen was specifically a manifestation of the brutalizing effects of the First World War on impressionable youths."

He also notes that " While the Black and Tans were largely confined to service alongside regular RIC men, waiting for the IRA to attack them, the Auxiliaries were intended as an elite force tasked to take the battle to the IRA."

This they did with a vengeance and it is abundantly clear that they abused that power, even more than the Black and Tans actually did.

In another book about the era "1920-1922 The Outrages" by Pearse Lawlor, published by Mercier Press it is clear that the worse of all groups, including the Black and Tans were the Ulster Special Constabulary.

The book discusses the numerous atrocities they carried out, as indeed did the IRA at the time as Lawlor notes, citing especially the brutal murder of an 80-year-old helpless Protestant clergyman in Cavan.

He covers the pogroms against Catholics in at least three major towns led by off-duty Ulster Special Constabulary, later known as the 'B' specials and they leave even the Black and Tans in the halfpenny place when it comes to murder and mayhem.

Almost all revolutions are born in spilt blood and the Irish fight was no different.

What is interesting is how, as history unfolds,previously hard held facts and truths are questioned and re-examined.

It seems we are at that stage with the Irish War of Independence.

There are no choir boys in war we know.These books just make that fact even clearer.

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69 Comments

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DublinCitizen | Oct 18, 2011, 02:40 PM EDT

Well I'm a member of the Church of Ireland and my wife is a Catholic and we were both brought up with friends of both churches and with a few Jewish friend too.! We have all considered ourselves IRISH. My wife's great great parents were born before the Famine and married during it. She died in 1914 and he died a year later, They left their descendants a legacy of strength and love and no rancour against anyone. My grandfater fought in 1916 and her grandfather fought in World War 1 and was murdered by the IRA in 1920 because he was in the wrong place at the time the family have never found his grave(does this sound familiar?). We just love our country the Irish Republic which despite its present financial difficulties is still a great place to live in. As for the Black and Tans they should be consiged to history where they belong

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ancavker | Sep 19, 2011, 12:54 PM EDT

allan: You post is so way over the top. But I will just address three points. There was no ethnic cleansing of Protestants in the south. Irish sports still have a huge following. Rugby does as well, as well it should it is an incredible game. And Cricket, well most Irish people, in fact most people consider it a bore. There is no such thing as British.

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sirpeter | Sep 18, 2011, 08:03 PM EDT

allan07.You comments are not been removed.A comment can only be a certain length.By the way saying Protestants were ethically cleansed in the Republic weakened your credibility.If you do further study you will find a good few reasons while the prod population fell.

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conchobhar | Sep 17, 2011, 12:21 PM EDT

I haven't read the book yet, so I won't comment directly. I will say, though, that I find the timing of this article noteworthy. Yesterday morning I was breakfasting at a B & B in the Berkshire Mts of Western Massachusetts, and heard a table full of Virginians opining that, "Slavery wasn't so bad. At least they had a home to go to." Need I mention that these people were all white? Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour also recently said that segregation and Jim Crow "weren't so bad," either. Well, they weren't...for him.

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allan07 | Sep 13, 2011, 08:22 PM EDT

Why is all my comments being removed by the editors of this site. Come on I am a protestant but we are entitled to tell the truth. Its not Libya so stop playing like nasty regime leaders. What happened to free speech? Gerry Adams can now be heard what about the protestant people? Its good to talk.

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allan07 | Sep 13, 2011, 08:17 PM EDT

The protestant people in the Free State after independence were enthically cleansed by the republician movement with the help of the Free state government. Once the protestant percentage was 10% now its 2% in the ROI. 90 years later the ROI is still poor, the state has failed, the economy is debt ridden, the cathloic church is covering up the sexual scandals and child abuse, the ROI owes a fortune to Great Britain in special loans, unemployment is high, cathloics get divorced even though they say its against their beliefs, good catholic women travel to England for their adoptions, more people will be leaving the ROI than coming into the ROI, generations to come will be paying for the silly over spending and borrowing caused by the present and previous governments, foreign sports such as rugby and cricket get more of a following than the so called Irish sports, Eoin Morgan is playing for England in cricket even though hes born in Dublin , the weather pants and everyone will be having a pay cut, taxes will be rising, etc, etc, In short the republic of Ireland is finished if it ever started. The Celtic tiger is dead just like the parrot it is deceased it is no more. Glad i am British and living in Northern Ireland.

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allan07 | Sep 13, 2011, 07:59 PM EDT

KevinKehoe i wrote truthful comments also and hours later nothing. I guess if your a protestant your comments are not shown. This site is censored. Gerry Adams can now be heard but if your a protestant in Northern Ireland its never, never and never. After all this site is edited by nationalist and republicians. So what chance of fair play and honest behaviour. Nil. How many employees at Irish Central are from Northern Ireland and protestant. Nil. For those with a short memory Northern Ireland does not beling to the ROI. The article in the ROI constitution which had a claim on Northern Ireland was voted on and the ROI do NOT have any legal claim on Northern Ireland. So thats it forever. Any we in Northern Ireland do not want to be part of the ROI. The ROI is a failed state and financially broke. Skint, up the river without a paddle.

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johhnyb | Sep 05, 2011, 11:20 AM EDT

Hi Ancavker, I hadn't noticed any huge number of apologies for killing people on this particular topic! I got the impression rather more that the prods got what they deserved.

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seanomelbourne | Sep 02, 2011, 07:15 PM EDT

Well put anckaver There are a few of us who keep honesty and integrity on this site.

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ancavker | Sep 01, 2011, 10:23 AM EDT

Protestants were not killed during the war of independence, simply because they were Protestant, they were killed if they collaborated with British forces, and in most instances they were warned not to. people should take a look at what was done to British loyalists at the end of the American revolution. Why is it the Irish seem to have this need to apologize for fighting our war for freedom?

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sirpeter | Aug 31, 2011, 10:35 PM EDT

Dano.Don't be disheartened.I will read the book in the chicken coup with Grandma.

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sirpeter | Aug 31, 2011, 10:26 PM EDT

KevinKehoe.You're comment was to long or else it was pro british.In order for your comment to definitely appear you have to type first either.Georgy Boy is an idiot or Towngate would sell one of his kids for the Queens knickers.Two kids if they were used.

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KevinKehoe | Aug 31, 2011, 06:22 PM EDT

I just spent 30 mins writing a comment, hit comment button 10 mins ago and nothing, why bother

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DanOLoingsigh | Aug 31, 2011, 04:05 PM EDT

I suppose it was too much to expect any poster to actually read the book, or even a review of the book, before launching into romantic reminiscences from assorted aged grandparents, not to mention Frank Meehan’s and his mentally challenged relative, or Hugh Walsh’s mother’s dog. Folk memories are sure to be much more accurate, impartial and honest than any carefully researched tome that may question long held beliefs or diminish our self worth. Much the same thought process that believes ‘The Wind that shakes the Barley’ is actually a documentary, rather than the dramatised re imaginings of Mr Ken Loach and Co. And we used be a land of Saints and SCHOLARS?

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McNamara31 | Aug 31, 2011, 12:22 PM EDT

seanomelbourne... "Mountmellick" We may have more in common than our politics. I just returned two weeks ago, Mountrath and Ballyfin also....all looks very well...

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