Ireland's Fenian movement in the 19th century was an important revolutionary challenge to British imperialism. It was a working class movement that, although never becoming anti-clerical, remained a threat to the Catholic church and the ruling British alike. Its failure in 1867 does not detract from its status as one of the most important movements to challenge the British Empire. Challenging traditional interpretations of the Fenian movement, this book views Irish republicanism in the 1860s as part of a Europe-wide nationalist phenomenon alongside its crucial role in the evolution of Irish republicanism. The author charts the rise and fall of the Fenian movement in detail, in Ireland as well as in Britain and the USA, examining the key events, developments and personalities, in particular the Fenian's attempt to establish an alliance with British radicalism. The book also covers related themes such as the impact of the famine on Irish society and the British response, Irish confederation and the 1848 rising, and the politics of John Mitchel - the founder of Irish republicanism.