St. Patrick's Day is this Saturday, and I have no doubt that at some point in the celebrating of all things wonderful and Irish (sorry, that's redundant, isn't it?), I will overhear someone order a drink that will make the hairs on the back of me neck stand up and my Irish blood boil.
What's that?, you ask? Well, it's a common-enough thing called a "Black and Tan". Seems innocent, right? It's a beer drink made half of Guinness and half of Bass, layered in a pint glass. So, "black".... and "tan". What's my objection?
Let me tell you:
In 1919, the British government in London posted an advertisement looking for men who were willing to "face a rough and dangerous task". If selected, these men would be sent to Ireland to 'assist' the Royal Irish Constabulary in policing towns and cities across the country. The British government deemed it necessary to send these mercenaries to Ireland because of a fall-off of recruitment of new officers into the RIC---(which was due to an effective and intimidating campaign of attacks on RIC barracks by local IRA cells across the country--especially in southern Ireland)
The men who applied and were selected were mostly British Army soldiers who had returned from service in WWI and had been unable to find skilled employment back at home. The job in Ireland was seen as 'easy money'--paying 10 shillings per day, including 3 months of paid training before being sent to Ireland.
The first unit arrived in Ireland in March, 1920. Once in Ireland, the recruits found that there were not enough uniforms for all those who had joined up, so the new forces wore a hodgepodge assortment of uniforms – some parts military, some parts RIC. This mixture gave them the appearance of being half in khaki (army) and half in black (police) uniform. As a result, these men got the nickname "Black and Tans", and it stuck.
Over 8000 Black and Tans served in Ireland. Most of these men had experience in trench warfare, but were ill-equipped to deal with the guerilla tactics of local IRA rebels. Casualties were extremely high (30%+) and frustration grew. Lacking in discipline and answerable only to themselves (not the mostly-Irish born RIC leaders), the primary task of the Black and Tans was simply "making Ireland hell for the rebels to live in".
A Divisional Commander of the Black and Tans expressed it thus:
| "If a police barracks is burned or if the barracks already occupied is not suitable, then the best house in the locality is to be commandeered, the occupants thrown into the gutter. Let them die there – the more the merrier.Should the order ("Hands Up") not be immediately obeyed, shoot and shoot with effect. If the persons approaching (a patrol) carry their hands in their pockets, or are in any way suspicious-looking, shoot them down. You may make mistakes occasionally and innocent persons may be shot, but that cannot be helped, and you are bound to get the right parties some time. The more you shoot, the better I will like you, and I assure you no policeman will get into trouble for shooting any man." Lt. Col. Smyth*, June 1920 |
The Black and Tans were not regular troops, they were hired thugs. The most infamous attack on the public by the Black and Tans occurred in November, 1920. Claiming retalliation for the murder of 14 undercover detectives by the IRA, the Black and Tans opened fire on a crowd of people watching a football match in Dublin, killing 12 people. There are many documented examples of Black and Tans shooting at women and children who were clearly not IRA rebels. To discourage IRA support, or to punish families or entire communities they deemed to be "pro-IRA", the Black and Tans destroyed creameries, mills and other local businesses, leaving the entire economy of some towns in ruins.
Ironically, these attacks on innocent civilians began to shift public supporttoward the IRA, and the operation of the Black and Tans in Ireland ultimately had the opposite effect of what the British had intended. When even the British public began to express outrage over the tactics used by the Black and Tans, the government in Westminster realized that they had a liability on their hands, and pulled the remaining Black and Tan troops out of Ireland in late 1922.
So---this Saturday, (or any other day of any other year, for that matter!), if you want a beer that's half Guinness and half something else, PLEASE don't call it a "Black and Tan". Call it a "Half and Half". And if you want to turn your back on the Brits altogether, then make the light half a Harp or some other fine Irish brew. Stop calling it a Black and Tan, starting today.
And don't feel bad if you never knew this bit of Irish history. NIKE (yes, they of the shoes), just had to issue an apology for an advertising campaign launched in Ireland featuring their new 'SB Dunk Low' sneakers, which they nicknamed the "Black and Tans" and brought to market "just in time for Saint Padraig's Day". Yes, they are those two colors. Yes, the same colors as the drink. But NIKE learned that they should have called them the SB Dunk Low "Half and Halfs".
Now they know, and so do you.
Until next week-check out the Piece of the week at www.twowillowsjewelry.com
Slainte'!
Kim
*PS--13 officers laid down their pistols and quit the RIC following Lt Col Smyth's speech. Many of them subsequently joined the IRA. Lt. Col Smyth was shot in the head and killed a few weeks later, reportedly by a former RIC officer.
PPS--if you are looking for a good Irish soda bread recipe, here is a link to the one I have found that is closest to anything I've eaten while visiting Ireland 3 times...http://www.recipething.com/recipes/show/1753-irish-mums-brown-bread
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