Latest / The History of Ireland: Rebellion, Empire, and Independence — Fexingo History / The Fenian Rising and the Dream of American Support
Transcript
- Lucas: We’ve spent a lot of time here looking at Ireland’s ancient past, through the Annals, and even up to the violent upheavals of the Cromwellian era and the Jacobite wars. But there’s a gap between the old rebellions of the seventeenth century and the Easter Rising of 1916 that doesn’t get enough attention. It’s the period after the Great Famine, when a new kind of nationalist energy emerged, driven not just by land hunger but by the return of men who had fought in the American Civil War. Luna: So the war in America actually shaped the next war in Ireland? Lucas: Exactly. By the mid-1860s, hundreds of thousands of Irish immigrants were serving in both the Union and Confederate armies. When they came home, or stayed in America, they brought with them a fierce anti-British sentiment and very practical military skills. They formed organizations like Clan na Gael, which aimed to use American resources to liberate Ireland. And in 1867, they decided it was time to strike. Lucas: Before we dive into the chaos of that year, I want to mention that this show is made possible by listeners like you. If you enjoy stepping back into these pivotal moments without ads interrupting the flow, you can support us directly. Just head to buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Any amount helps keep these conversations ad-free and deeply researched. Luna: That makes sense, especially when the stories are this complex. Lucas: It does. Now, back to 1867. The plan was supposed to be a coordinated nationwide uprising in March. But the British intelligence network, led by the formidable Chief Secretary Michael Hogan, was already ahead of them. They arrested key leaders before the guns could fire, turning what was meant to be a synchronized revolt into a series of isolated, poorly armed skirmishes. Luna: Did any of the planned attacks actually succeed? Lucas: Very few. In County Tipperary, some rebels managed to ambush a police escort and free prisoners, which gave them a brief surge of confidence. But across most of the country, the Fenians showed up with outdated muskets and little coordination. The British forces, well-equipped and waiting, crushed the resistance within weeks. It looked like a total failure on paper. Lucas: But the story takes a sharp turn in Dublin later that year. In May, a young lawyer named Charles Stewart Parnell—then just starting his political career—was traveling on a train from Cork to Dublin. He was arrested under suspicion of Fenian sympathies and put in a police van along with other prisoners. Luna: And someone tried to break him out? Lucas: They did. A group of Fenians stationed near the railway station saw the van and attempted to smash it open with a sledgehammer. It was a dramatic, almost cinematic scene, but it went wrong. One of the policemen inside, Constable Timothy Kelly, was struck down and killed during the chaos. Parnell himself escaped notice and was released shortly after, but the incident triggered a massive police crackdown. Luna: Three men were executed for that attack, weren't they? Lucas: Yes. Richard O’Donoghue, William Loftus, and Michael Larkin were hanged in Clerkenwell Prison in London. They became known as the Manchester Martyrs. Their deaths shocked the world. Even though they hadn’t fired a shot, their execution turned them into symbols of British tyranny. It radicalized many Irish people who had previously been indifferent to the Fenian cause. Lucas: One of the key figures in this aftermath was Thomas Sexton, a Fenian organizer who was imprisoned alongside them. Sexton wrote vivid accounts of the conditions in the cells and the moral strength of his comrades. He argued that the British government was creating martyrs out of ordinary men simply to deter rebellion. Luna: Did that strategy work? Did it stop the Fenians? Lucas: For a while, yes. The public outcry died down, and the Fenian movement retreated across the Atlantic. But the idea didn’t disappear. Leaders like Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa began planning new operations from the United States. They realized that striking directly in Ireland was too risky, so they looked north, to Canada, where British troops were sparse. Lucas: This led to the Canadian Raids of 1866 and 1867. Fenian bands crossed the border from New York and Vermont, hoping to capture Canadian territory as leverage for Irish independence. In 1866, they defeated a small British force at Ridgeway, which was the first time a non-European army beat regular British troops in battle. Luna: That must have been huge for Irish pride. Lucas: It was. But strategically, it was a disaster. The British responded by demanding that the United States crack down on Fenian activities. The U.S. government, wanting to avoid war with Britain, arrested Rossa and other leaders. The raids fizzled out, and the Fenian movement entered a long period of dormancy. Luna: So after all that violence, what was left? Lucas: A changed political landscape. The failure of the physical force approach led many Irish Americans to focus on funding and propaganda rather than direct action. Meanwhile, in Ireland, a younger generation began to realize that parliamentary politics might be more effective than guerrilla warfare. Men like Parnell, who had narrowly escaped death in that police van, started to build the Home Rule movement. Lucas: The Fenian Rising of 1867 is often remembered as a tragic failure, but it served as a bridge. It connected the old warrior traditions of Ireland with the modern political strategies of the twentieth century. Without the Fenians, the Easter Rising might have looked very different. Luna: It’s interesting how one failed raid can echo for decades. Lucas: It is. And it reminds us that history isn’t just about the winners. Sometimes it’s about the failures that teach the next generation how to fight better. As we look ahead to the early twentieth century, we’ll see how those lessons were applied in a much more organized way. Luna: I’m ready to see where Parnell goes from there. Lucas: We will. Thanks for listening, and if you enjoyed this deep dive into the Fenian era, consider supporting the show at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Until next time.