Divided Loyalties: The Irish Who Fought for Britain

Irish History Podcast

Fin Dwyer

History, Interviews, War Of Independence, Ireland, Norman Invasion, Vikings, Great Famine, Great Hunger, Irish History

4.7 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 24 April 2026

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Irish War of Independence & Revolution saw the IRA pitted against Crown forces across the island. However, on the ground in Ireland, allegiance was often more complicated than is sometimes remembered.

Ireland had a long tradition of service in the British Army, and during the conflict thousands of Irishmen served not only in British military ranks but also in the police forces sent to crush the revolution. Even the Black and Tans, remembered as outsiders and occupiers, included surprising numbers of Irish recruits.

This episode explores the uncomfortable and often forgotten story of the Irish who fought for Britain. Who were these men? Why did they serve the Crown, in Ireland and across the Empire? What drew them into the British Army, the Royal Irish Constabulary, and even the ranks of the Black and Tans? And what does their story reveal about Ireland’s deep and complicated relationship with the British Empire?

This is Episode 5 of Brothers in Pain, a global history of the Irish Revolution.

The series is researched, written, and presented by Dr Brian Hanley. Brian is a historian at Trinity College Dublin and has written extensively on the Irish Revolution, republicanism, and radical politics in the twentieth century. You can find a list of his publications here: https://www.tcd.ie/history/staff/brian-hanley.php

Written, Researched and Narrated by Dr Brian Hanley

Producer: Fin Dwyer

Sound: Kate Dunlea

Note from Brian:

In researching these episodes, I have been indebted to the work of the following scholars:

Anna Lively, Sam McGrath, Bruce Nelson, Terry Dunne, David Brundage, Niamh Coffey, Gerard Shannon, Maurice Casey, Kelly Anne Reynolds, Chris McNickle, Joe Doyle, Liz Gillis, F. M. Carroll, Patrick Mannion, Jimmy Yann, Niall Cullen, Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc, Keith Jeffrey, Arthur Mitchell, John Borgonovo, Kate O’Malley, Michael Doorley, Robin Adams, Kevin Kenny, Fearghal McGarry, Catherine M. Burns, Síobhra Aiken, Patrick J. Mahony, Darragh Gannon, Matthew Pratt Guterl, and James R. Barrett.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to the Irish History podcast. My name is Finn DeWire. This is part five of
0:09.6	Brothers in Pain, presented by Dr. Brian Hanley. This series explores the global dimensions to the
0:16.1	Irish War of Independence and so far we've looked at the conflict largely from the Republican side.
0:22.2	This episode turns to the often overlooked aspect of the story, the considerable numbers of Irish
0:27.7	people who served in the Crown forces. Brian begins by explaining the reasons behind the long
0:33.6	history of Irish service in the British forces, because these motives were often far from
0:38.9	straightforward. Some Irish people did believe in the empire, others served because it was a family
0:44.5	tradition, while more still enlisted purely because of poverty. This sets the stage for a deeper
0:50.8	look at the War of Independence itself and how Irish people could be found on both sides.
0:57.3	Brian also explores the Black and Tans, the most notorious force deployed by London during the war.
1:03.2	Often portrayed simply as the dregs of British cities, Brian reveals how that force was in fact
1:08.8	far more complex as well. It reflected the wider British Empire,
1:13.2	with recruits coming from as far afield as Australia.
1:16.4	But crucially, it also included large numbers of Irish men.
1:20.4	Now, Brian, as you know by this stage, is a historian at Trinity College Dublin.
1:24.5	Among these numerous publications are several important works on the Irish Revolution
1:28.6	and the Irish Republican movement in the 20th century. You can find a full list of his works
1:33.6	in his show notes below. Sound on today's episode is by Kate Dunley.
1:42.8	The British Empire was at its apex in 1920.
1:46.0	Britain emerged from the Great War, not only victorious, but also in possession of more territory than it possessed in 1914.
1:55.0	But there was a problem.
1:57.0	Sir Henry Wilson, the chief of the British military in 1920, worried that our small army is too
	...

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