tan

a word for a hated english person by an irish person. the name comes from the corrupt "police force" sent over to Ireland during the War of Independence by the British Government...so called the Black and Tans because of their black and tan coloured uniform. They were not qualified policemen, but ignorant rapist murderers. known as tans for short, they were hated by the irish people. Ireland suffered 800 years of oppression at the hands of the British Government until a truce was called in 1921. to this day even, any english person who pisses off an irish person is called a tan as an insult.