who are the fenians

The Fenians were Irish nationalist and republican secret societies active mainly in the mid-19th century, committed to establishing an independent Irish Republic by armed struggle against British rule. Originating among Irish immigrants in the United States in the 1840s, they were named after the mythological Fianna warriors of Irish legend. The Fenian movement included two main organizations: the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) founded in Dublin in 1858, and the Fenian Brotherhood founded in the United States the same year. Their goal was a democratic Irish republic with universal male suffrage, rejecting monarchical government and calling for separation of church and state. The Fenians were involved in armed uprisings in Ireland and raids into British Canada in the 1860s and early 1870s. Although these efforts failed militarily, the movement significantly influenced Irish nationalism and politics, notably contributing to later groups like Sinn Féin. They also provoked political changes in Britain regarding Ireland and inspired public sympathy through events such as the execution of the "Manchester Martyrs" in 1867.