what is a fenian

A Fenian was a member of secret 19th-century Irish and Irish-American nationalist organizations dedicated to the overthrow of British rule in Ireland and the establishment of an independent Irish Republic. The term "Fenian" comes from the Fianna, legendary warrior bands in Irish mythology. The two main Fenian groups were the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) founded in Ireland in 1858 and the Fenian Brotherhood founded in the United States. They were involved in armed uprisings and raids, including attempts to invade British Canada as part of their struggle for Irish independence in the 1860s and 1870s. The Fenian movement had a significant influence on later Irish nationalism, including the Irish War of Independence from 1919 to 1921.