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Black and Tans
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Black and Tans
The Black and Tans (Irish: Dúchrónaigh) were constables recruited into the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) as reinforcements during the Irish War of Independence. Recruitment began in Great Britain in January 1920, and about 10,000 men enlisted during the conflict. The majority were unemployed former British soldiers from England, Scotland, and Wales who had fought in the First World War. Some sources count Irish recruits to the RIC from 1920 as "Black and Tans".
The Black and Tans had a reputation for brutality; they committed murder, arson, and looting and became notorious for reprisal attacks on civilians and civilian property. Their actions further swayed Irish public opinion against British rule and drew condemnation in Britain. The Black and Tans were sometimes confused with the Auxiliary Division, a counterinsurgency unit of the RIC, also recruited during the conflict and made up of former British officers. At the time, "Black and Tans" was sometimes used for both groups. Another force, the Ulster Special Constabulary (commonly called the "B-Specials"), was founded in 1920 to reinforce the RIC in Northern Ireland.
The British administration in Ireland promoted the idea of bolstering the RIC with British recruits. They were to help the overstretched RIC maintain control and suppress the Irish Republican Army (IRA), although they were less well trained in ordinary police methods. The nickname "Black and Tans" arose from the colours of the improvised uniforms they initially wore, a mixture of dark green RIC (which appeared black) and khaki British Army. They served in all parts of Ireland, but most were sent to southern and western regions where fighting was heaviest. By 1921, for example, the Black and Tans made up almost half of the RIC in County Tipperary.
The nickname "Black and Tans" arose from the improvised uniforms they initially wore. Due to a shortage of RIC uniforms, the new recruits were issued with a mixture of dark RIC tunics and caps and khaki army trousers. Local Irish republican Dan Breen said that the nickname was born in the Knocklong area of south Tipperary and east Limerick, where a famous hound pack called the "Black and Tans" had existed for many years. A contributor to the Limerick Echo of 25 March 1920 wrote that meeting a group of recruits on a train at Limerick Junction, the attire of one reminded him of the Scarteen Hunt, whose "Black and Tans" nickname derived from the colours of its Kerry Beagles. A Clare comedian elaborated the joke in Limerick's Theatre Royal and the nickname soon took hold, persisting even after the men received full RIC uniforms.
Some modern sources refer to the Black and Tans as the "RIC Special Reserve". However, historians agree that they were not a separate reserve force but "recruits to the regular RIC" and "enlisted as regular constabulary". The name "special reserve" has not been found in any historical documents. Canadian historian D. M. Leeson partially blames Wikipedia for promoting this misnomer.
The Irish name for the Black and Tans is na Dúchrónaigh, deriving from dubhchrónach, the Irish word for twilight, which itself derives ultimately from dubh ("black") and crón ("dark yellow/tan"). It is a neologism and was not used in traditional spoken Irish.
As "Black and Tans" was not the official name of any RIC formation, there is some disagreement over which RIC men it should apply to. Some historians, such as David Leeson, Tom Toomey and Jim Herlihy, define "Black and Tans" as only those RIC recruits from Britain during the War of Independence. Leeson argues that British-recruited police received less training, which took place at Gormanston Camp rather than the RIC depot in Phoenix Park. Herlihy says the British-recruited personnel were recruited differently and trained for a shorter time and considers them to have formed a "Special Reserve". Others, such as William Lowe and Seán William Gannon, also count those recruited in Ireland during the conflict as Black and Tans. Gannon argues that records do not show a large difference in training time between British and Irish-recruited personnel, that both wore the black-and-tan uniform, and that they performed identical duties.
During the Irish War of Independence (on 27 July 1921), the British government founded the Auxiliary Division of the RIC (ADRIC), which was set up as a mobile strike force to support the RIC. The ADRIC or “Auxies” are sometimes conflated with the "Black and Tans". British politicians also occasionally conflated them at the time. However, while the "Black and Tans" were regular constables, the Auxiliary Division was a paramilitary counterinsurgency force which was operationally independent and composed of former British military officers. Thus, academic sources generally distinguish the Auxiliaries from the "Black and Tans". At least some of the crimes attributed to the Black and Tans were actually the work of the Auxiliaries.
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Black and Tans
The Black and Tans (Irish: Dúchrónaigh) were constables recruited into the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) as reinforcements during the Irish War of Independence. Recruitment began in Great Britain in January 1920, and about 10,000 men enlisted during the conflict. The majority were unemployed former British soldiers from England, Scotland, and Wales who had fought in the First World War. Some sources count Irish recruits to the RIC from 1920 as "Black and Tans".
The Black and Tans had a reputation for brutality; they committed murder, arson, and looting and became notorious for reprisal attacks on civilians and civilian property. Their actions further swayed Irish public opinion against British rule and drew condemnation in Britain. The Black and Tans were sometimes confused with the Auxiliary Division, a counterinsurgency unit of the RIC, also recruited during the conflict and made up of former British officers. At the time, "Black and Tans" was sometimes used for both groups. Another force, the Ulster Special Constabulary (commonly called the "B-Specials"), was founded in 1920 to reinforce the RIC in Northern Ireland.
The British administration in Ireland promoted the idea of bolstering the RIC with British recruits. They were to help the overstretched RIC maintain control and suppress the Irish Republican Army (IRA), although they were less well trained in ordinary police methods. The nickname "Black and Tans" arose from the colours of the improvised uniforms they initially wore, a mixture of dark green RIC (which appeared black) and khaki British Army. They served in all parts of Ireland, but most were sent to southern and western regions where fighting was heaviest. By 1921, for example, the Black and Tans made up almost half of the RIC in County Tipperary.
The nickname "Black and Tans" arose from the improvised uniforms they initially wore. Due to a shortage of RIC uniforms, the new recruits were issued with a mixture of dark RIC tunics and caps and khaki army trousers. Local Irish republican Dan Breen said that the nickname was born in the Knocklong area of south Tipperary and east Limerick, where a famous hound pack called the "Black and Tans" had existed for many years. A contributor to the Limerick Echo of 25 March 1920 wrote that meeting a group of recruits on a train at Limerick Junction, the attire of one reminded him of the Scarteen Hunt, whose "Black and Tans" nickname derived from the colours of its Kerry Beagles. A Clare comedian elaborated the joke in Limerick's Theatre Royal and the nickname soon took hold, persisting even after the men received full RIC uniforms.
Some modern sources refer to the Black and Tans as the "RIC Special Reserve". However, historians agree that they were not a separate reserve force but "recruits to the regular RIC" and "enlisted as regular constabulary". The name "special reserve" has not been found in any historical documents. Canadian historian D. M. Leeson partially blames Wikipedia for promoting this misnomer.
The Irish name for the Black and Tans is na Dúchrónaigh, deriving from dubhchrónach, the Irish word for twilight, which itself derives ultimately from dubh ("black") and crón ("dark yellow/tan"). It is a neologism and was not used in traditional spoken Irish.
As "Black and Tans" was not the official name of any RIC formation, there is some disagreement over which RIC men it should apply to. Some historians, such as David Leeson, Tom Toomey and Jim Herlihy, define "Black and Tans" as only those RIC recruits from Britain during the War of Independence. Leeson argues that British-recruited police received less training, which took place at Gormanston Camp rather than the RIC depot in Phoenix Park. Herlihy says the British-recruited personnel were recruited differently and trained for a shorter time and considers them to have formed a "Special Reserve". Others, such as William Lowe and Seán William Gannon, also count those recruited in Ireland during the conflict as Black and Tans. Gannon argues that records do not show a large difference in training time between British and Irish-recruited personnel, that both wore the black-and-tan uniform, and that they performed identical duties.
During the Irish War of Independence (on 27 July 1921), the British government founded the Auxiliary Division of the RIC (ADRIC), which was set up as a mobile strike force to support the RIC. The ADRIC or “Auxies” are sometimes conflated with the "Black and Tans". British politicians also occasionally conflated them at the time. However, while the "Black and Tans" were regular constables, the Auxiliary Division was a paramilitary counterinsurgency force which was operationally independent and composed of former British military officers. Thus, academic sources generally distinguish the Auxiliaries from the "Black and Tans". At least some of the crimes attributed to the Black and Tans were actually the work of the Auxiliaries.
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