Kilmainham Gaol

Ciaran and I took the advice of my cousin and headed into town to visit Kilmainham Gaol. It was our first real trip on the Luas and we were well impressed, though felt the signposting at the far end could have been better. This is a major tourist attraction but there were no signs from the Luas stop, only a general map of the city that had not been vandalised.

The jail itself is a scarily impressive early Victorian one. The original plan was that prisoners would be reformed, so the emphasis was on silence and solitude. The acoustics are remarkable. Single cells and no contact with anyone for the majority of the time (at least the first year of a sentence). However reality overcame design and like other prisons it was overcrowded. The limestone walls held moisture keeping it cool in the summer but damp and cold in winter. Gas heating was fitted later but only used for about an hour a day. Some of the crimes committed to get in seemed pretty tame (stealing potatoes or an apple) but once you realise that, especially for destitute children, it was a better option than the workhouse. In fact the governor of the jail campaigned to have the children's food allowance cut by 4 ounces to more closely match the workhouse and discourage children being sentenced just to 'beef up'.

Apart from being a real jail, it played an significant role in the fight for Irish Independence, especially the 1916 Easter Uprising. As the second city of the empire, many Dubliners did not support an independent Ireland and were not happy with the Easter Rebellion, spitting at and throwing waste at the prisoners as they were eventually marched to Kilmainham. However it was the cold execution of these prisoners over the following weeks which turned public opinion toward the rebellion. Perversely, during the Civil War the Irish Government also used the prison to house and execute Republicans, further cementing a dislike for the jail.

The main thrust of the restoration of the jail is in recognition of the role the jail had in the various uprisings. Cells where prominent leaders were held are all noted. Its certainly worth a visit.

One of the problems of creating panoramic photos is shown here. Can anyone see it?