Irish Republican Brotherhood

The Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) were an organisation formed to help make an independent democratic republic in Ireland. They were known as Fenians. They played an important role in the Irish fight for independence from Britain. This helped stage the 1916 Easter Rising.

Formation

The IRB was started at the same time in Dublin and in New York in 1858. It was started by a number of men who had been connected with the 1848 rebellion in Ireland. They were a very mysterious organization. They believed the only way to get freedom for Ireland was by using force.

Other websites

• The Irish Republican Brotherhood, from the BBC History site
• Irish Nationalism and Anglo-American Naturalization: The Settlement of the Expatriation Question 1865-1872