| The Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), or the | | | | nothing more than a gesture. |
| Fenian organisation was founded simultaneously in | | | | However, the movement received a fresh |
| Dublin and New York in 1858 by a number of | | | | impetus of recruits, they kept the channels open |
| individuals who had been connected with the 1848 | | | | and waited for the day that revolution would |
| rebellion in Ireland, which included - James | | | | occur. They would have to wait fifty years but |
| Stephens, John O'Mahony, Charles Kickham, John | | | | during this long period, Fenianism was an ideal that |
| O'Leary, Thomas Clarke Luby and Michael Doheny. | | | | nationalists could cling desperately to. However, by |
| They organised the movement along the lines of | | | | the start of the twentieth century the movement |
| 'circles' which was comparative to a regiment, it | | | | had largely stagnated, becoming more interested |
| was very secretive with each rank only knowing | | | | with Dublin municipal politics than the establishment |
| the one above it. The Fenians believed that armed | | | | of an Irish Republic. A younger generations of |
| revolution was the only way forward and they | | | | nationalists began to change all this from 1905 on, |
| therefore prepared for an uprising for when | | | | by 1914 the Supreme Council of the IRB was |
| Britain should be at a disadvantage. They soon | | | | largely purged of its older, jaded leadership. The |
| established themselves in Australia, South | | | | new blood helped establish the Irish Volunteers in |
| America, Canada and particularly in America as | | | | 1913 and were very influential in the subsequent |
| well as in the large cities of England. When a rising | | | | Irish War of Independence. Following the Civil War, |
| was at last attempted in 1867, the government | | | | the Supreme Council voted to dissolve the |
| were well ahead of the conspiracy and nearly all | | | | organisation, deeming that it's goals had been |
| the Fenian leaders were in prison, it was really | | | | achieved. |