Above : Portrait Of Jeremiah O’Donovan

FOR the next few years there was tranquillity in Ireland. The activity of the constitutional politicians had ceased ; the ” physical force ” party gave no sign of life. Within a decade each had made a great effort ; both had failed. The English people in general believed that the Irish were at last ” settling down,” and that agitations and rebellions would be heard of no more. In truth, however, the apparent peace was but ” smothered war.”

Under the surface and little extended at first, a new revolutionary movement had begun. In Skibbereen, Co. Cork, a few young men founded, in 1856, a club, half literary, half political, to which they gave the name of the ” Phoenix.” The moving spirit was one Jeremiah O’Donovan, later to be known as ” Rossa,” from the place, Ross, where his family resided.

The ” Phcenix ” men might have done little were it not that their activities came under the notice of James Stephens, who had taken part in the ‘48 rising, and had afterwards escaped to France, where he gained much information of the methods of secret conspiracy. In 1858, he visited Skibbereen, and aided O’Donovan to reorganise the club as a secret society. Branches were formed in many places in Cork and Kerry, and secret drilling was begun. Stephens had had opportunities of gauging the hatred of England which filled the hearts of those whom the Famine and the ” clearances ” which followed had driven across the Atlantic, and which their children had imbibed. He now confidently promised that, if a new rising were attempted in Ireland, American aid would not be wanting.

The Government, through its spies, became acquainted with every detail of the new movement, and in December 1858 it struck its blow. The ” Phoenix ” clubs were raided, and many of the most prominent members arrested.They were tried with great solemnity at Tralee, but nothing further than membership of a secret society and engaging in secret drilling I be proved against them. Acting on advice privately conveyed, °° pleaded guilty, and were released. This episode, in itself is important, was the beginning of the Fenian movement.