Joseph Brenan (also Brennan; 17 November 1828 – 27 May 1857) was a poet, journalist and author, and leading member of the Young Irelanders and Irish Confederation.
Some of its contributors, who included Frazer, Martin MacDermott, Fitzjames O'Brien, Mulchinock and Mary Savage, would later either end up in jail or in exile.
"[1] Brenan contributed to the Mitchel's United Irishman and, sold his rifle to obtain his train fare, to take up his residence in Dublin, the headquarters of the revolutionary movement.
During his confinement he wrote some fine poems, according to T. F. O'Sullivan, one, entitled "Yearnings," evidently addressed to Mary Savage, sister of John.
[2] After his release without trial in March 1849, Brenan became editor of the Irishman which had been started in Dublin by Bernard Fulham, and for six months attempted to rekindle the insurrectionary flame in the country.
[2] In America he became associated with a number of journals, including Horace Greeley's Tribune, Devin Reilly's People, The Enquirer of Newark, Jersey, and the New Orleans Delta in which he wrote a series of papers under the pen-name Ben Fox.