This book:

We Don't Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland by Fintan O'Toole (New York: Liveright Publishing, 2022), on page 175

says that THE BLACK AND TAN GUN was first recorded by “a showband called Sean Dunphy and The Hoedowners,” in 1966, that on the record label, the song was titled: “The Black and Tan Gun (Nobody’s Darling But Mine)” (hence my identification of the tune in my previous comment)--and that no songwriter was identified.

There are two recordings attributed to Sean Dunphy on Spotify. They both appear to be reissues of older recordings; therefore I can’t say which one is truly older. Neither of them exactly corresponds to the lines O’Toole quotes in his book—but maybe he is quoting from memory what he sang in 1966--it's part of a narrative.

Transcriptions are mine. I have marked the differences between the two versions with boldface.


THE BLACK AND TAN GUN
As recorded by Sean Dunphy & The Hoedowners on “The Fabulous Irish Showbands,” 2004.

It was down in the town of old Bantry,
Where most of the fighting was done—
’Twas there that a young Irish soldier
Was shot by a Black and Tan gun.

As he raised himself up on his elbow,
As the blood from his wounds it ran red,
Then he turned to his comrades beside him,
And these are the words that he said:

“Won't you bury me out on the mountain
So I can see where the battle was won?
Won't you bury me out on the mountain
With my face turned to God’s rising sun?”

So they buried him out on the mountain.
On his cross that lay facing the sun,
They wrote: “Here lies a true soldier
Who was shot by a Black and Tan gun.”

So now that we’re back in old Dublin,
With our victories over and won,
Won’t you think of the comrade you buried
Under God’s rising sun?


THE BLACK AND TAN GUN
As recorded by Sean Dunphy Ceili Band on “City by the Suir,” 2019.

It was in the old town of Bantry,
Where most of the fighting was done—
It was there that a young Irish soldier
Was shot by a Black and Tan gun.

He raised himself up on his elbow.
The blood from his wounds it flowed red.
He turned to his comrades around him,
And these are the words that he said:

“Oh, bury me out on the mountain
With my face to the God(?) rising sun.
Won't you bury me out on the mountain
So I can see where the battle was won?”

So they buried him out on the mountain.
On his cross, hear the words that were done:
“Here lies a young Irish rebel
Who was shot by a Black and Tan gun.”

Now that we are back in Cork City,
Though our battle is over—we’ve won—
Won’t you pray for the young Irish rebel
Who was shot by a Black and Tan gun?