Kilmainham Gaol

Monday I went to visit Kilmainham Gaol. This is Dublin's old prison that stopped being used in 1934 and was later restored and turned into a museum. It dates back to the 18th century and is one of the largest prisons in Europe no longer in use. The prison was originally meant to hold 200 prisoners, one to a cell, however at the peak of its use during the Great Famine it held 9,000 people. It was used for both men, women and children - the youngest was an 8 year old girl who was caught stealing a woman's cloak because she was cold and was in there for 5 months. The prison also hosted political prisoners and was the where the leaders of the 1916 rebellion were held before they were executed. We got to see their cells and the chapel where Joseph Plunkett was married to his fiancee right before being executed. Later she would be held in another cell during the Civil war. It was really fascinating and horrible at the same time. Pictures are in my Dublin album. The same link below will work.