Kilmainham Gaol

The tour of the gaol takes you to the old wing of the Gaol, where you’ll see some of the cells as they originally were in the 18th century. You’ll also be taken to the chapel, where you’ll hear the tragic story of Joseph Plunkett and Grace Gifford, who married the night before his execution. The tour continues in the more modern section of the prison, which was built on the principles of Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon - where guards could watch inmates without their knowledge.

Cells throughout the tour feature names of famous inmates who were incarcerated inside, so make sure to watch out for these and the colorful graffiti which decorates the doorframes. Take special care to find Grace Gifford’s (by then known as Grace Plunkett) cell, as she was an artist who painted a stunning mural on the wall of her cell. You’ll then be taken to the prison yard, where you’ll be shown the site of the 1916 executions by firing squad. As the tour ends, you’ll be led to the exhibition space, where you can explore at your own pace and learn more about the criminal justice system under British rule, see some of the artifacts that belonged to inmates, and learn about transportation.

There are also temporary exhibitions, which have covered themes as diverse as the journey of Nelson Mandela from prisoner to president, Mary Bourke Dowling, a member of the Irish suffragette movement, prison reform, and art created by prisoners currently in custody.

Kilmainham Gaol is a prison that was built in Dublin in 1786 and was in use from 1796 to 1924. It was connected to the courthouse, and originally prisoners sentenced to death were hanged directly outside the building’s entrance. Conditions were notoriously poor, especially during the Irish Famine, when overcrowding became a major problem as starving individuals turned to crime in order to feed themselves and their families.

Kilmainham Gaol was also used during this period as a temporary prison for men, women, and children who were later transported to Australia. It has a special place in the history of Irish Independence, as almost all leaders of nationalist movements (from Robert Emmet to Charles Stewart Parnell, the Pearse brothers, James Connolly, Constance Markievicz, and Éamon de Valera) were imprisoned there. 14 of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed by firing squad in the prison yard in places that are today marked by memorials. It was then used to house prisoners during the Irish Civil War. Despite its importance as a monument, the prison was allowed to fall into disrepair after it closed in 1924. However, in the late 1950s, a volunteer movement sought to restore the prison and turn it into a museum.

The museum opened in 1966, in the year of the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising, but the final areas of the prison were only completed in 1971 with the refurbishment of the chapel. In 1986, the Gaol was handed over to the Office of Public Works, which manages the museum today.

The events of the Easter Rising of 1916 took place in several key locations as well as on the streets of Dublin, many of which house exhibits to educate visitors about the fight for Irish Independence. One of the places to visit is the General Post Office (or GPO), which was the main stronghold of the Irish Volunteers and was occupied from Easter Monday until the Volunteers surrendered on the following Saturday. Today the GPO contains the GPO Witness History Museum, which offers interactive exhibits about the events of the Rising and other elements of Irish history.

Another important site is Dublin Castle, which was the British center of operations during the Rising, and was where some of the rebel leaders were held before being transferred and executed at Kilmainham Gaol. Today the castle is used for state events, but you can also take a tour with an expert guide. There are also walking tours and guided bus tours which will take you to several key locations throughout the city, including St. Stephen’s Green and Glasnevin Cemetery, where several of the Volunteers who were killed were buried.