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".

External links

• The Irish Republican Brotherhood, from the BBC History site