CLASSIC: That Time Irish Separatists Invaded Canada
Summary
This episode explores the 19th-century Fenian Brotherhood, a secret Irish republican organization that attempted to invade British Canada to pressure the UK into granting Irish independence. The hosts detail how Civil War veterans, armed with discounted rifles, launched the 1866 raids on Fort Erie and New Brunswick, resulting in the Battle of Ridgeway. They discuss the complex role of the U.S. government, which tacitly supported the raids to weaken Britain before ultimately arresting the Fenians to prevent a wider war. The story concludes with the raids' failure to achieve Irish goals but t…
Topics discussed
Intro: Canada, Softball, and Irish Culture
Historical Context: Irish Reunification and Canada
Sponsor Reads and Show Production Credits
Welcome to Ridiculous Historians
Noel's Dublin Story: Irish Accents and Fights
Podcast Reviews and The Casey Pegram T-Shirt
Introduction to the Fenian Invasion of Canada
Origins of the Fenian Brotherhood and Civil War Veterans
Sponsor Breaks: California, Music, LinkedIn, Pluvicto
The 1865 Interception and The Plan to Invade Canada
Fenian Factions and US Government Complicity
President Andrew Johnson's Strategic Interests
The 1866 Raids: Mahony Wing and Battle of Ridgeway
Sponsor Breaks: California, Music, LinkedIn, Pluvicto, ZigZag
Fenian Conduct, Retreat, and US Intervention
Aftermath: Disbandment and Lessons Learned
Later Raids and The Rise of Canadian Nationalism
Modern Politics: Brexit and Northern Ireland
Outro: Social Media, Credits, and Goodbyes
Final Sponsor Reads: California, Music, Dog Food, OxyClean, KFC
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