In 19 hundred and 16 the forces of the crown To take the orange white and green Bombarded Dublin town But in 21 Britannia's sons were forced to earn their pay Chorus And 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 the men of brown and black They shot down wives and children in their own heroic way Chorus They hanged young Kevin Barry high a lad of 18 years Cork cities flames lit up the sky but the brave boys knew no fear The cork brigade with hand grenades in ambush waiting lay Chorus The tans were got taken out and shot by the brave and the valiant few Sean Treacey, Denny Lacey and Tom Barry's gallant crew Though we're not free yet, we wont forget until our dying day How the black and tans like lightning ran From the rifles of the IRA