In nineteen hundred and sixteen
The forces of the Crown
To capture the orange, white and green
Bombarded Dublin town
In twenty-one
Brittania's sons were forced to wear their pain when
The black and tans
Like lightning ran
From the rifles of the IRA
They burned their way through Munster
And laid Lienster on the rack
In Caugnaught and in Ulster
March those men in brown and black
They shot down wives and children in their own barbaric way then
The black and tans
Like lightning ran
From the rifles of the IRA
♪
They hanged young Kevin Barry high
A lad of 18 years
Cork cities flames lit up the sky
But the brave men knew no fear
The cork brigades with hand grenades in ambush waiting lay then
The black and tans
Like lightning ran
From the rifles of the IRA
The tans were taken out and shot by a brave and fearless few
Sean Treacey, Denny Lacey and Tom Barry's gallant crew
We're not free yet, and won't forget until our dying day when
The black and tans
Like lightning ran
From the rifles of the IRA
And the black and tans
Like lightning ran
From the rifles of the IRA