Stephens, James Kenneth (1825-1901)

Irish nationalist activist. In 1858, along with John O'Mahony, he founded the Fenian movement (later known as the Irish Republican Brotherhood) to campaign for Irish-American support for armed rebellion. In the USA, he undertook extensive fund-raising activities, and established the newspaper Irish People (1863). After abandoning a promised uprising in 1866, he was ousted from the Fenian leadership.

Stephens was born in Kilkenny and worked as a railway engineer before becoming involved in the Young Ireland Party. He was wounded at Ballingarry during the failed revolution of 1848, hid for three months in the mountains, and then escaped to France. In 1865, he was arrested in Dublin, but was assisted in escaping from jail by his supporters within a fortnight. He remained in exile until permitted to return to Ireland in 1886.