House of Guinness: What do Fenians mean in the Netflix series? Details explored 

Netflix's House of Guinness is the current streaming obsession for everyone. Fans of intense family dramas like Succession and Peaky Blinders are especially enjoying Steven Knight's latest historical drama series, which is based on the real-life family dynasty, one of the largest stout manufacturers in the world.

After Sir Benjamin Lee died in 1868 Ireland, the responsibility of the family brewery fell on the shoulders of his four children: Edward, Arthur, Anne and Benjamin. While Netflix's latest historical series is a tense family saga, it also explores Ireland's tumultuous history in the late 19th century. Like Knight's critically acclaimed Peaky Blinders, House of Guinness also balances the family's history with Ireland's history in the 1860s.

A prominent political group that is actively featured in the show is the Fenians. The word Fenian was an umbrella term for the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) and the Fenian Brotherhood. The latter was founded by Irish emigrants in the United States, who wanted to free Ireland from British rule. The Fenians were essentially part of a secret political group, which grew into a revolutionary nationalist movement, aimed at making Ireland an independent nation.

More on this in our story.

Exploring the Fenian Brotherhood in House of Guinness

Netflix's House of Guinness is more than just a famous family saga and sibling feud over their family brewery. It also explores the political and historical backdrop of 1868 Ireland, a time when Ireland was not an independent nation and was still under British rule. Since the British ruled over Ireland for many centuries, there were many revolts and uprisings by the Fenian Brotherhood, who wanted to see Ireland as an independent nation.

While the Fenian revolt in the House of Guinness premiere, in the wake of Sir Benjamin Lee's death, is fictional, the Brotherhood's actions are rooted in history.

Frustated by the unequal treatment of Catholics and the poverty after famine, many young individuals desired an independent Ireland, which directly led to the formation of the Fenian Brotherhood. When their legal and constitutionalized efforts failed, the Fenians pivoted to violent revolts and extreme rebellion, as seen in the opening scenes of Knight's series. Though there is no record of any Guinness' personal involvement or rivalry with the Fenians, their actions and the Fenian Rising of 1867 are rooted in history.

Ultimately, the Fenians' efforts proved to be fruitful when the IRB won the Irish War of Independence in 1921, following which Ireland became an independent nation as the Republic of Ireland we know today.

House of Guinness: Is the Fenian brother-sister duo real?

Much of the Fenian Brotherhood's actions in House of Guinness are centred around the Cochrane brother-sister duo of Patrick Cochrane (Seamus O’Hara) and Ellen Cochrane (Niamh McCormack). Knight's political series begins with Patrick leading the Fenians for a revolt in the wake of Sir Benjamin's death.

While both Patrick and Ellen Cochrane are fictional characters, they were likely modelled after the real-life figures and a Fenian brother-sister duo of Ellen O'Leary and John O'Leary.

Both Patrick and Ellen are devoted to the Fenian cause, but take very different routes to express it. While Ellen believes in blackmail and the power of words, Patrick was hot-headed and believed in violence and muscle power. Much of their actions in House of Guinness mimics the O’Learys.

Like Ellen Cochrane, Ellen O’Leary was a writer in The Irish People, the IRB newspaper, which was an important weapon in the Fenian cause in the 1860s. While she avoided military planning, her brother, John O'Leary, believed that only armed resistance could achieve victory for the Fenians and in turn for Ireland. This sentiment is echoed in Patrick's character, who was largely involved in street fights and revolt.

You can stream House of Guinness on Netflix.

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