Come Out Ye Black And Tans is number 1 in Irish and UK iTunes charts

The Irish rebel song Come Out Ye Black And Tans has topped the iTunes charts in the UK and Ireland, following a row over a planned commemoration of the former Irish police forces the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and the Dublin Metropolitan Police.

The Government deferred the event that was to take place to acknowledge the role of the RIC and DMP in Irish history. The event has been widely criticised by the public and politicians.

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan announced the commemorations, planned for next week at Dublin Castle, had been deferred. He also said that the Black and Tans were not to have formed part of the commemoration.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar backed the postponment, saying it had become an unnecessary controversy and "very divisive", adding that he hoped to have it at a later date in a more appropriate way.

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Since the row, the Wolfe Tones rebel song Come Out Ye Black And Tans has risen to the top of both the Irish and UK iTunes charts.

The band responded by posting on Twitter, "Come Out Ye Black n Tans No. 1 in Ireland ... Fine Gael got their answer" They had previously backed calls for the RIC event to be cancelled.

The song Come Out Ye Black And Tans was originally released in 1972. It refers to additional part-time officers recruited to bolster RIC numbers in Ireland during the War of Independence, who had a justified reputation for violence.

On Thursday night the band tweeted it would donate the proceeds of the song's recent success to the Peter McVerry Trust, "who do great work to aid the homeless".