Irish Republican Brotherhood

The Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) played an important role in the history of Ireland. It was the chief group advocating armed revolt during the campaign for Ireland's independence from the United Kingdom during the latter half of the nineteenth century. It was formed around 1850 by James Stephens, and organised an abortive revolt in 1867. Although the IRB co-operated with Charles Stewart Parnell's Irish Parliamentary Party (which eschewed violent action) in the 1870s and 1880s during the Land War, it also organised a dynamite campaign in English cities. Its members often referred to themselves as "Fenians".

Related Topics:
History of Ireland - Ireland - United Kingdom - Nineteenth century - 1850 - James Stephens - Revolt in 1867 - Charles Stewart Parnell - Irish Parliamentary Party - 1870s - 1880s - Land War - Dynamite - English - Fenians

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Its counterpart in the United States of America was organized by John O'Mahony and known as the Fenian Brotherhood (later Clan na Gael), which would organize several raids into British Canada from 1866 to 1871 in an effort aimed at exchanging control of Canada for Ireland's freedom.

Related Topics:
United States of America - John O'Mahony - Fenian Brotherhood - Clan na Gael - Raids - Canada - 1866 - 1871

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Leaders of the IRB carried out their own foreign policy, and courted support from ambassadors of nations they perceived as enemies of England. When the chances of war with England were fading, IRB looked for allies among other Irish national groups, and on the cusp of the 1870?1880s, their attempts at coalition building were successful. From amongst the many Irish nationalist organisations, a coalition was formed among the IRB and sections of the Irish Land League.

Related Topics:
1870 - 1880s - Irish nationalist - Irish Land League

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In March 1883 the London Metropolitan Police's Special Irish Branch was formed, initially as a small section of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), to monitor IRB activities. Subsequently, the term 'Irish Branch' was replaced by the Special Branch title, as over time it took on responsibility for countering a wider range of revolutionary and anarchist activity.

Related Topics:
1883 - London Metropolitan Police - Special Branch - Revolutionary - Anarchist

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Revitalised from about 1910, the IRB was the chief organising force between the Easter Rising of 1916, under the leadership of such men as Tom Clarke, Sean MacDermott and Patrick Pearse. The IRB infiltrated the Irish Volunteers, and commandeered them to act as the military wing of the republican movement, against the wishes of the Volunteers' leadership. It was also a major influence during the 1919?21 Irish War of Independence. Its president since the summer of 1919 was Michael Collins. The IRB accepted the Anglo-Irish Treaty agreed by Collins with the British government as compatible with its aims and dissolved itself.

Related Topics:
1910 - Easter Rising - 1916 - Tom Clarke - Sean MacDermott - Patrick Pearse - Irish Volunteers - 1919 - 21 - Irish War of Independence - Michael Collins - Anglo-Irish Treaty - British government

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Nineteenth-century Fenianism was among the most important movements in modern Irish history. Its radicalism influenced later leaders like Patrick Pearse and Éamon de Valera and the IRB was well placed in the subsequent independence movement with Michael Collins at the helm. However, though influential in radical nationalism, the early IRB never gained widespread popular support and its attempts to stage rebellions in Ireland failed dismally. Its impact was through the ideas it developed among later Irish nationalists.

Related Topics:
Irish history - Patrick Pearse - Éamon de Valera

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