A very somber tour that was enormously informative. Sara & I walked away with a new appreciation for the Irish struggle for freedom – even through civil conflict. It was clear that our guide was connected to this history and conveyed personally, but objectively, the events of the times. Kilmainham Gaol served as a centerpiece for the various attempts to be free from external rule. It served also as a model for prison reformation – an uplift attempt to move away from general populations consisting of women, children, 1st time offenders and repeat offenders. But with the famine and various other social impacts occurred – there was overcrowding as people would commit crimes so that they would receive food and shelter – the segregation attempts were not fully achieved. In any event – prison life was brutal. Makes one wonder how bad it was outside to want to get in… The name above has a link to Wiki about the Gaol – An excerpt from tourist information – Dublin:
When it was built in 1796, Kilmainham Gaol was referred to as the ‘New Gaol’ to distinguish it from the old gaol it was designed to replace. Over the 128 years it served as a prison, its cells held many of the most famous people involved in the campaign for Irish independence. The British imprisoned and executed the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising here including Padraig Pearse, Joseph Plunkett and Thomas Clarke. Read More. For information on the Easter Rising Click Here.
Pictures –
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- Museum Dcouments
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- The Chapel – note the door behind
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- Names above cells of famous
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- The “new” jail
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- Sara – homey…
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- Cell of Countess Constance Markievicz
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- Guards could see everything from their positions
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- Walk to the yard
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- Exercise 1-2 hours in 24
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- Point of execution
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- Where James Connolly was executed
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- All others from the Easter Rising executed here
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- Public Hangings were from above the door – behind the church alter