Clerkenwell explosion

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Clerkenwell explosion
The House of Detention in Clerkenwell after the bombing; seen from within the prison yard
Location	Clerkenwell, London, England
Date	13 December 1867 (GMT)
Attack type	Explosion
Weapons	200–548 pounds (91–249 kg) Gunpowder kegs[1]
Deaths	12
Injured	120
Perpetrator	Irish Republican Brotherhood

The Clerkenwell explosion, also known as the Clerkenwell Outrage, was a bombing attack carried out by the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) in London on 13 December 1867. Members of the IRB, who were nicknamed "Fenians", exploded a bomb to try to free a member of their group who was being held on remand at Clerkenwell Prison. The explosion damaged nearby houses, killed 12 civilians and wounded 120; no prisoners escaped and the attack was a failure.^[2] The event was described by The Times the following day as "a crime of unexampled atrocity", and compared to the "infernal machines" used in Paris in 1800 and 1835 and the Gunpowder Treason of 1605. Denounced by politicians and writers from both sides of the political spectrum, the bombing was later described as the most infamous action perpetrated by Fenians in Britain during the 19th century. It enraged the British public, causing a backlash which undermined the Irish Home Rule Movement.