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Welcome to Aaron Menke's Cabinet of Curiosity's, A production of IHeart Radio and grim and mild.

Our world is full of the unexplainable. And if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display, just waiting for us to explore.

Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosity's.

Ireland suffered under English rule longer than any other colony. In fact, the English occupied Ireland for over 700 years. It's a testament to Ireland's strength and the

vibrancy of their culture that it endured despite this. The Irish fought for

their independence throughout the centuries, but sometimes the fight took a curious turn. Such was

the case in 1866 when the battle for Ireland's independence spread to a whole different continent.

Like a lot of pioneers, John O'Neill was very sure of himself and didn't like being told what to do.

He fought on the side of the Union during the Civil War, but transferred battalions when he

wasn't promoted and then retired before the war was even over.

He learned how to fight and how to run an army during his time in the service, but the cause

was never really his.

He was an Irish immigrant, who had left home during the famine and was just trying to find his

place in the world. But it seemed that everywhere he went, there was always some king or president

trying to get you to join his army. John had been happy to lend his services to the union for a price,

but he would never work for the English king, who he saw as responsible for the destruction

of his homeland. After John left the army, he was working in Tennessee when he met some

fellow Irish immigrants who had formed a militia called the Fenian Brotherhood. Their goal was

to further the cause of Irish

independence in America by attacking British-controlled Canada to the north. They hoped to occupy

the country and hold it ransom for Ireland's freedom. It was a far-fetched idea, but they

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