In nineteen hundred and sixteen, The Forces of the Crown, For to Capture Orange, White and Green, Bombarded Dublin Town, But in twenty one, Britannia's sons, Began to earn their pay, When the Black and Tans, Like lightning ran From the rifles of the IRA They burned their way through Munster Laid Leinster on the rack, Through Connaught and through Ulster, Marched the men in brown and black, They shot down wives and children, In their own heroic way, when The black and tans, like lightning ran From the rifles of the IRA They hung young Kevin Barry high, A lad of eighteen years, Cork City's flames lit up in the sky But our brave lads new no fear The Cork brigade with hand-grenades In ambush wait and lay, And the black and tans, Like lightning ran From the Rifles of the I.R.A.! The tans were taken out and shot By a brave and valiant few Sean Treacy, Dinny Lacey And Tom Barry's famous crew We're not free yet but we won't forget Until our dying day, When the black and tans, Like lightning ran From the Rifles of the I.R.A.! We're not free yet we won't forget Until our dying day, When the black and tans, Like lightning ran From the Rifles of the I.R.A.!