The self-proclaimed Irish Republican Army invaded Canada not just once, but five times between 1866 and 1871 in what are known collectively as the Fenian Raids. Several of those attacks were launched from upstate New York and included many men from the local area. The book tells the incredible true story of the Irish-American Civil War veterans who undertook one of the most fantastical missions in military history, and it’s the first popular history of the Fenian Raids told from the point of view of the Fenians themselves. The Irish rebels achieved the first Irish military victory over the British since 1745, made the United States a key player in Anglo-Irish affairs, and forged a transatlantic framework that proved pivotal in providing the financial and military support that decades later led to Ireland’s eventual liberation from British rule.
Christopher Klein is the author of three books, including Strong Boy: The Life and Times of John L. Sullivan, America's First Sports Hero. A frequent contributor to History.com, Christopher has also written for The Boston Globe, The New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, Harvard Magazine, Smithsonian.com, and AmericanHeritage.com. He lives in Andover, Massachusetts.