The definition of the word "Fenian"

> What exactly is the definition of a fenian? Whenever I have heard
it , it
> always refers to someone who is catholic (therefore cannot also be
> presbyterian as above), but i could well be wrong.....

The term "Fenians" was the nickname given to members of the IRB
(Irish Republican Brotherhood) in the mid-1800s, which came from the
name of a legendary band of warriors in Irish mythology. This was a
secret order committed to freeing Ireland from English rule. It was
very much a secret society, and members swore an oath "to free the
Irish people ... or to die in the struggle." Members were organized
into "circles" or cells with a heirarchy of leaders given military
rank. The Fenian brotherhood existed both in Ireland and in all
places of the Irish diaspora. In the US, Irish-American Fenians were
also known as Clan na Gael.

The widespread success of the IRB proved to be its undoing. Too many
were swearing the oath in the mid to late 1800s, which meant that
there were informers. As odd as it seems now, back then there were
lots of Ulster Scot Fenians and even members of the Orange Order were
taking the Fenian oath. Even more oddly was that Protestants seemed
to be more comfortable with the secret pledges and oaths of the IRB
than were Catholics, as many devout Catholics felt it was immoral to
swear oaths to a secret society. For example, De Valera himself was
willing to die for Ireland in the Easter Rebellion of 1916, but he
refused to take the oath. Nevertheless, the majority of Fenians were
undoubtedly Irish Catholics, albeit secular ones.

The IRA emerged from the IRB, and some insist that the IRA is simply
a new name of the same organization. However, the IRA has directed
its focus at developing a smaller, more effective force rather than
the popular "army" recruited by the IRB - that was largely
incapacitated by too many informers in its ranks.