The Fenian problem

"Irish revolutionary nationalism, initially dedicated to insurgency, quickly descended into less conventional violence. How successive British governments responded to this challenge and the extent of their respect for essential freedoms are the subject of The Fenian Problem." "Dramatic and tragic rescues of arrested Fenian leaders, the formation of a Fenian squad to engage in assassinations of suspected informers and policemen, the bombing of a London prison that brought death and destruction to a neighbouring street, public executions of several Fenians, the quality of British justice, and the struggle to develop counter-terrorism policies and an effective system of intelligence form the core of The Fenian Problem. Brian Jenkins adds new information to the established narrative of the movement, arguing that it resorted to terrorism in its pursuit of Irish independence."--Jacket.