James Stephens

Born: 1825, Kilkenny
Died: 1901, Dublin

     James Stephens worked for Limerick's railway before joining the Young Irelanders in 1847. He suffered injuries during the rising of 1848 and left Ireland for France. While there he met other Irish exiles and laid the groundwork for the Irish Republican Brotherhood. He returned to Ireland in 1856 to lead the IRB though he traveled America for several years to raise money for the republican movement. Stephens' role in IRB leadership was later taken away because he did not support an insurrection in 1864. He relocated to France but was booted from Paris when he stood accused of plotting a rebellion. He moved to Switzerland thereafter but died in Dublin.

     For more on Stephens, please see http://www.searcs-web.com/stephens.html.