The Black and Tans: Britain’s Brutal Irish Solution

The History of Ireland: Rebellion, Empire, and Independence — Fexingo History · Sep 16, 2026 · 10m · transcript

By the early 1920s, the Anglo-Irish War had reached a stalemate that left London desperate for a new approach. The British government’s answer was the Auxiliary Division and the Special Constabulary, commonly known as the Black and Tans. These were largely World War I veterans who arrived in Dublin with little understanding of Irish politics but plenty of military training and a grievance against Sinn Féin. This episode explores how these men transformed from peacekeepers into symbols of colonial brutality, engaging in reprisals, arson, and violence that radicalized the Irish public and…