Editing Fenian Brotherhood (section)

==Background==
The Fenian Brotherhood trace their origins back to 1790s, in the [[Irish Rebellion of 1798|rebellion]], seeking an end to [[British rule in Ireland]] initially for self-government and then the establishment of an [[Irish Republic]]. The rebellion was suppressed, but the principles of the United Irishmen were to have a powerful influence on the course of Irish history.

Following the collapse of the rebellion, the British Prime Minister [[William Pitt the Younger|William Pitt]] introduced a bill to abolish the Irish parliament and manufactured a [[Act of Union 1800|Union]] between Ireland and Britain. Opposition from the Protestant [[oligarchy]] that controlled the [[parliament]] was countered by the widespread and open use of bribery. The [[Act of Union 1800|Act of Union]] was passed and became law on 1 January 1801. The Catholics, who had been excluded from the Irish parliament, were promised [[Catholic Emancipation|emancipation]] under the Union.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} This promise was never kept and caused a protracted and bitter struggle for civil liberties.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} It was not until 1829 that the British government reluctantly conceded [[Catholic Emancipation]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} Though leading to general emancipation, this process simultaneously disenfranchised the small tenants, known as [[Forty Shilling Freeholders|'forty shilling freeholders']], who were mainly Catholics.<ref>Kenny, p. 5</ref>

[[Daniel O'Connell]], who had led the emancipation campaign, then attempted the same methods in his campaign to have the [[Act of Union 1800|Act of Union]] with Britain repealed.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} Despite the use of petitions and public meetings that attracted vast popular support, the government thought the Union was more important than Irish public opinion.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

In the early 1840s, the younger members of the [[Repeal Association|repeal movement]] became impatient with O'Connell's over-cautious policies and began to question his intentions.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} Later they were what came to be known as the [[Young Ireland]] movement.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

During the famine, the social class comprising small farmers and laborers was almost wiped out by starvation, disease and emigration.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} The [[Great Famine (Ireland)|Great Famine]] of the 1840s caused the deaths of 1 million Irish people and another million emigrated to escape it, with a further million over following decades.<ref>{{cite web|last=Donnelly|first=Jim|title=The Irish Famine|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/famine_01.shtml|publisher=BBC|access-date=25 June 2013|archive-date=9 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109095015/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/famine_01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> That the people starved while livestock and grain continued to be exported, quite often under military escort, would leave a legacy of bitterness and resentment among the survivors.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} The waves of emigration also ensured that such feelings would not be confined to Ireland, but spread to England, the United States, Australia and every country where Irish emigrants gathered.<ref>Kenny, pp. 6–7</ref>

Shocked by the scenes of starvation and greatly influenced by the revolutions then sweeping Europe, the [[Young Ireland]]ers moved from agitation to armed [[Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848|rebellion in 1848]]. The attempted rebellion failed after a small skirmish in Ballingary, [[County Tipperary]], coupled with a few minor incidents elsewhere.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} The revolt's failure was much influenced by the general weakening of the Irish population after three years of famine, mixed with premature promptings to rise up early, resulting in inadequate military preparations in turn contributing to disunity among the rebellion's leaders.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

The Government quickly rounded up many of the instigators.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} Those who could, fled across the seas and their followers dispersed. The last flicker of revolt in 1849, led by amongst others [[James Fintan Lalor]], was equally unsuccessful.<ref>Kenny, p. 7</ref>

[[John Mitchel]], the most committed advocate of revolution, had been arrested early in 1848 and transported to Australia on the expressly created charge of [[Treason Felony Act 1848|Treason-felony]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} He was to be joined by other leaders, such as [[William Smith O'Brien]] and [[Thomas Francis Meagher]] who had both been arrested after Ballingary escaped to France, as did three of the younger members, [[James Stephens (Irish nationalist)|James Stephens]], [[John O'Mahony]] and [[Michael Doheny]].