So as I mentioned in my last post I visited the Kilmainham Goal on my birthday. I love doing cultural things on my birthday (last year I spent it in the Natural History Museum in NY), so I decided the Goal in Dublin would really interesting (spoiler it was).
Kilmainham Gaol is now a museum but it was a former prison until 1924. The tour covers the political history of the prison and Ireland and also touches on how it was built and restored. The prison played a large part in Irish history, holding a lot of the leaders Irish Republic and even one of Ireland's presidents. The prison also used to perform hanging which took place at the front of the prison, they also carried out executions. We ended our tour in the yard where they have marked out graves for four Republican prisoners, who were shot in that yard. It was a really sombre moment when our tour guide said this and then said it was the end of the tour. The history behind this place is fascinating though and as you wander around it, you can't help but think about how awful it would have been to stay here but also how cold it would have been. I felt that walking these ground you couldn't help but feel how sad life was within these walls. There were, of course, people who were treated quite well in this prison but all of that is spoken about on the tour!
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| Just before the tour began! |
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| Prison cells |
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| Inside the chapel |
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Window; inside a cell     |
We booked the tour online (advised as they sell out quickly and you can only visit as part of a guided tour) and the tour took about an hour. They have knowledgeable and lovely tour guides who take you through the Goal and point out relevant parts of Ireland's history however chilling and sad it may be.
Tickets are €8 for an adult and can be bought on their website. The Goal opens 9:30am–6pm.
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