The philosopy of the bomb : the Fenian dynamite campaign and the British counter response 1876-1885

Abstract

[Excerpt from page nine] It will be argued in this thesis that this pervading political grievance was representative of what Thomas Brown has found to be ‘a fierce nationalism ,’ conditioned by a peculiar juxtaposition of unique Irish inheritance and a harsh American environment.' According to Brown, Irish inheritance, within the American mentality, was associated with poverty, superstition and moral degradation. Brown suggested that this interpretation undermined American respect for Irish immigrants, establishing a conditioned exile mentality. Similarly, as O’Cathain states with reference to Scotland, although equally applicable to America, the Irish emigrant represented ‘a sad, bitter figure bereft of his country and people and cast into a strange and often hostile environment lacking American respect, the immigrant was perceived to have suffered gross prejudice, which facilitated social alienation, and which in turn proved to be a breeding ground for violent sentiment. Returning to the historical interpretation of Irish history within this emigrant mentality, this lack of American respect was related to the British presence in Ireland. Therefore, if this supposition is to be believed, this emigrant mentality believed that respect could only be won through action beneficial to the Irish nation. In this regard, Fenian terrorism was underlined by a recognisable desire for respect amongst Irish-Americans. As a direct consequence of this perception, Fenian terrorism was therefore representative of what Michael Hurst has recognised as ‘two nationalisms - American and Irish.’