Jeff N.
Yelp
Every so often, you walk into a building and can feel the history around you. That is an understatement when you visit Kilmainham Gaol. Highly recommended if you are appreciative of history, especially, a complete perspective of what those persons endured from incarceration within this jail from its opening in 1796 to its shuttering in 1924. Walking through the halls, past the cells, the courtyard, you can feel the sense of dread and ghosts of those who died and were executed here.
With the gaol intact from renovations, taking the tour gave a glimpse of the conditions prisoners faced in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. Once you enter, surrounded by the 30-to-50-tall, thick wall of the gaol, you have been transported back in history where people were held for such crimes as murder, piracy, rape, theft, and treason. You can see the remains for the gallow fixtures where hangings took place up to the late 19th century, as well as the stonecutters yard where those who took part in the Easter Rebellion of 1916 were shot.
The centerpiece of the tour revolved around the east wing that was rebuilt and reopened in 1861, whose architecture was based on the Panopticon, where you could view the 96-created cells from a central viewing area. The large skylight gives an ominous feeling of being constantly watched.
The remarkable upkeep and condition of the jail have led to more than a few movies being filmed here over the past decades. If you are visiting Dublin on your travels through Ireland, or have never been while you have lived in the area, this is an attraction to visit -- especially, for those interested in Irish history.