The Fenian Movement was a struggle in hopes to be free from Great Britain’s rule. The movement was conducted by young Irish Americans in the middle eighteen hundreds. The beginning of the movement was declared in 1855 in New York City, after a meeting with the Russian consul that did not go so well. The movement took place in parts of the United States and in Ireland. In the twenty eight years that the movement lasted between 1858- 1886 it had been attempted to be ended many times by England and Great Brittan. Also the Catholic Hierarchies strongly opposed the idea of the Fenian movement for they felt the reasons for rebellion had no justification. It is known there were many opposed to the idea of the Fenian Movement however; the strong willed Irish Americans made it last the number of years it did, even though the final outcome led to failure. The Causes of the Fenian Movement are many. There was a need to be heard for the Irish Americans and gain the power and freedom they felt they deserved. In the time that the Civil War was going on, the Irish were having trouble settling down. The group formulated as the Fenians a word that is taken from “Fiann” a group known for their fight for an Irish hero Finn (Considine 197). And so, the Irish were interested in planning on war with England in attempt to free Ireland. The Irish held the belief that they were set, knowing that the United States had some unresolved business to finish with England.
So they decided to go on with the procedures they would need to take care of in order to have a successful invasion on England. The Irish with their leader, William O’Mahoney, raised money, set up a government in exile and plan strategies for a successful attack. The main causes for the Fenian movement were the stresses created from the war and the overall feeling of no independence in Ireland. Along with things such as, the poor stability of Ireland because of the Potato Famine that had occurred shortly before the movement. Much of the damage done to the Irish is because the slow movement of the British to help with anything. A lot of resentment was boiled up towards England from the Irish people for they had lost a lot.