This was one of the most memorable stops on my last Ireland visit. I'd been reading about the 1916 Easter Rising, so I felt I was up to speed on the topic. It's one thing to read books but totally another to see the tiny dark cells where they awaited execution, and the wall against which they were shot. The tour leader had so many details and touching observations that it had an impact on me. He also answered my questions and even recommended further reading. read more

Kilmainham Gaol - Museums Near Me - Kilmainham, D

Definitely plan ahead with this one and the earlier the better. We found out about it from the DoDublin HoHo bus driver and we took his recommendation and we are so thankful we did. There are two different tours and they book out quickly. The first an hour tour costs €8 while the 30 minute tour €3. We opted for the latter and while it was really interesting we did feel as though we would have liked a bit more information and maybe you get that with the full length version. You do get to see the original cells and hear the more unique stories of some of the prisoners from a 5yr old boy imprisoned for stealing a silver chain, he was whipped daily and had salt rubbed in his wounds. Can you imagine!!! To the condemned who was wedded the night before his execution. All in all, I would say this should be on your 'must do' list after Guinness, Trinity College and the Book of Kells. read more

A definitely must see when you are in Dublin, the Kilmainham prison! This place plays a tremendous part in Irish history (place where political prisoners were held hostage and killed, and a tragic place during the Great Famine). You can only visit the place through guided tours of 20-30 persons that take place every 15 mins and last 45 to 50 mins per tour. Tickets for tours are sold every morning at the prison from 9.30 am on first come first serve basis! Sorry guys, there is no internet booking, so you will have to come and queue like everyone. You can choose to buy tickets for an immediate tour (so be prepared to wait quite a long time) or book your ticket for a tour later during the day (the place closes at 5pm). In both cases, you will have to schedule your visit for this place. Needless to say that it is totally unproductive / useless to come at 3pm since all tickets are usually sold out. We arrived at 9.00 am sharp and there were already 20 people standing. Hopefully we could enroll in the 1st tour of the day ... meaning no other people were around to disturb us or our pictures! During the tour, just make sure to stick to the guide so that you can listen to his/her meaningful comments (in english only by the way - no translator available). Aside from the visit, the museum (no guided tours required or available) is a must see as well. You will learn a lot more about the prison (living conditions of prisoners, pictures, legislation) but also the political context that is described during the guided tour. Could even be worth to visit the whole museum (takes 1 hour+) before the taking the guided tour ;) The museum also entails a temporary exhibition and café. We visited the place in March 2016 and part of the prison was under renovation. Fare was adjusted in consequence and remained very reasonable (4€ per adult). Together with the Guiness Storehouse, it is the only museum opened 7 days a week in Dublin ... good to know when planning your visit in the city. read more

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This prison is where they held and executed many of the revolutionaries. It is striking seeing the cells, where people were executed and reading all of the personal stories. read more

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One of the best guided history tours I've been on in a long time! Irish history comes alive in this cold empty prison. You learn about Ireland's political battles and espionage since the late 1700's. Graphic pictures of the events are painted for you by a very knowledgeable guide. Letters from its Civil War are carefully displayed for you to read, you get a glimpse of what life was like in the cells, and you are taken outside where the executions took place. The latter is considered to be sacred ground. This structure defines Ireland's nationalism. A must see when visiting! read more

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A must do if your going to Dublin. Fascinating, tragic, dingy and informative. We spent quite some time here following the tour, as there is a fair bit to see in the museum. The guide was well informed and we come away enlightened on the 'modern' history of Ireland, and some of the characters that have formed it. There's a nice little café too. If your going in the summer be sure to book ahead as it was fully booked when we went and they were turning people away. It stated on the website that you need to print out your tickets, we were unable to do this beforehand but they were able to do it for us when we arrived. We walked from Connolly Train station, but it was a lot further than it looked on the tourist map. read more

Kilmainham Gaol - Inside newest part of the prison - Museums Near Me - Kilmainham, D

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I've always been interested in prisons and visiting Kilmainham Gaol was at the top of my list of places I wanted to visit. We decided to visit the prison on Saturday without tickets (not a good idea) and was told all the tours for the day were already sold out. We decided to view the museum which is free of charge. I still felt like that wasn't enough and decided to get tour tickets for Monday morning. The tour starts promptly and you get a guided tour throughout the entire prison. You learn about the history and about some of the prisoners held there. Very cool!! So much history in one place! Kilmainham should be one of your visits while in Dublin. Also, buy your ticket in advance. It looks like they run out of guided tours pretty early. read more

Kilmainham Gaol is the oldest unoccupied prison in Europe yet, at the time, it boasted revolutionary new ideas for treating the convicted. They even were noted for holding 'young' criminals as young as 8 years old. The 'newer' main section of the prison looks quite familiar, and it should; it was the setting for the prison scene in the original "Italian Job'' movie. The tour guides were quite knowledgeable. The 200+ year old prison had a mix of old and newer designs and most notable was the courtyard where the executions of the men involved in the Easter Rising took place toward the end of the tour. Upon entering the Gaol, you are first brought into the chapel where Grace Gifford and Jospeh Plunkett were married the night before he was executed; therefore, the song, "Grace" was running through my mind throughout the tour and I had tears in my eyes; such a sad part of Irish History. read more

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This tour is remarkable and should not be missed. It's a former jail (now a museum) located behind the Museum of Modern Arts. When you take this tour, it will give you an intense and realistic insight into what it was like to have been detained in one of those hauntingly dark and cold prison cells. Little kids were sometimes arrested for petty pilfering the youngest said to be a seven-year-old boy. I cried after hearing some of the horrific and tragic stories. Leaders of the Irish uprising were detained here also; a music video of U2 was filmed here. I highly recommend this tour if you are ever in Dublin. read more

Kilmainham Gaol - Kilmainham Gaol - Museums Near Me - Kilmainham, D

Kilmainham Gaol is one of the best places I visited while in Dublin. Although it has a dark history, it sure is a fascinating one. For only 4 euro/pp, the guided tour made it all worth it. Our guide was very knowledgable and managed to pack in a lot of historical information while still making it entertaining. A must see while in Dublin! read more

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Absolute amazing tour! Like AMAZING! I've taken tours around Pompeii, the colosseum and the Acropolis in Greece and this one I actually enjoyed way more even though it took part on a rainy evening in Dublin city and not a scorching tropical part of the world. I was born and raised in Ireland and always had a fondness for Irish history and so I thought I'd go with my grandad who's a history buff to visit this amazing building and indulge in its rich history. The tour guide we had,Ruarí, was incredibly nice and informative. He had loads of info and cracked some pretty funny jokes. At one point my grandad went up to him and they had a chat about the IRB and the Fenians and he genuinely seemed to love history and have a passion for it. The museum itself is interesting and if you're waiting for your tour to begin its a great place to chill and have a browse and the PA system gives you 5 minutes to get to the beginning spot of the tour when it's about to start which is also great! All in all this is a fantastic spot if you want to learn some history going back to the 1800's and you can have a bit of craic with the tour guides. Costing between €2 and €5 for entry depending on if you're a student or an adult with concessions for seniors you can't go wrong! Tours usually last about an hour so a great way to spend an afternoon! read more

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This was a great, informative tour. It's a bit of a somber experience, but it's a nice look into the history of the struggle for independence in Ireland. Make sure to buy tickets ahead of time, as they tend to sell out. I would say this tour is a must during your visit to Dublin. read more

Kilmainham Gaol - Art in the museum - Museums Near Me - Kilmainham, D

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This is a MUST SEE in Ireland. We stumbled upon this at the suggestion of our driver and couldn't be happier that he suggested we visit. We never heard of Kilmainham Gaol and were surprised when we arrived. This jail housed the leaders of the Easter Rising, women who fought in the rebellion and even children who were arrested for begging for food. We loved hearing the stories of their confinement. It was very sad and upsetting but our guide managed to inject humor and great stories that made us want for more history on our trip. The tour itself led us through the jail with history that we had never heard before. It intrigued us so much that it lead to our next day visiting the Lissadell House in Sligo, Ireland. (look for my review). Our guide made us feel like we were there with the prisoners. His enthusiasm, talent for storytelling and unending knowledge of the history of this site made for a tour that we wanted to go on for hours. He managed to cram what would have been years in history class into a tour that left us hungry for more. I have a list of the top ten things I have done while traveling which include visiting Pearl Harbor, Alcatraz, etc. and this has made that list for sure. I will never forget this experience, nor will my family and I can't say it enough that everyone who visits Ireland must visit Kilmainham Gaol. read more

Visited April 2015: "Glad that we did this tour before any other tour in Dublin" We participated in the guided tour of the Kilmainham Goal, which is one of the most well-known jails in Ireland history. The guide spoke about some of their politician leaders whom were hung there, and some even without a trial. We were not able to go into the East wing due to them placing a new roof on it, but we were able to see the old West wing which had no facilities for their personal needs. The guide also talked about how the prison was designed to hold 1 person per cell, but during the great famine, the cells would hold 6-8 people each. read more

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come learn about irish history and the harsh path towards independence oh and take cool selfies lol read more

Kilmainham Gaol - Museums Near Me - Kilmainham, D

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The tour guides are amazing. They really did a great job at explaining the history of the jail. As someone who is not familiar with Irish history, I really got a sense of what was happening during some tumultuous times. This is definitely worth a stop on your list if you are visiting Ireland! read more

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Get your tickets ahead of time on their website. We got lucky showing up bright early in the morning on a Saturday. We were able to get in on the 30 minute tour. It was long enough to get the information and short enough not to take up the whole day. The guide was wonderful, specific and told some very nice stories. The museum was great as well and the information was great as well. It's a beautiful piece of Irish history and I'm glad that I was able to experience it. read more

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I've now been to this jail on three separate occasions. Each time, I learn more about Ireland's history and the history of the jail. The tour guides are knowledgeable, and they tell the history of the prison in an engaging way. It feels like hearing a story. The museum at the conclusion of the tour is fascinating. They have many different artifacts from the jail's early years, stories of prisoners, and much more. The café leaves a bit to be desired in the way of options, but the service was friendly. The gift shop was small, but they had many great items to choose from. In my opinion, it is not to be missed if you visit Dublin. read more

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Cool history, but the main attraction is closed for construction. Still enjoyed the time there but would have liked to have seen the main reason we went. read more

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As a tourist, this was the place where I learned the most about Irish history during our trip. The price isn't terrible, and it is drab and a longer tour, but it really was one of the most impactful parts of our trip. I suggest going if you want to know about a big and small part of Irish history. read more

Kilmainham Gaol (a prison which hasn't been used since the mid 1920's) is the kind of place where you walk in and you can feel the heaviness in the air. I didn't know much about Irish history but I learned a lot during my visit. This place is dark, damp, cold and at times made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It must have been the worst place to find yourself. We were told that even young children were kept there which I couldn't imagine. If you enjoy learning about history I would highly recommend a visit - especially if you have age appropriate children. Note: This guided tour is a very popular attraction and tickets sell out quickly. You can buy them online or you can buy them at the location. Be prepared to spend some time lining up to get in. Also, if you are traveling around Dublin via double-decker tour buses this is one of the stops along their route. read more

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You must make sure that you book in advance as the slots get sold out quickly and rarely can you ever get a ticket on the spot. Well worth the meagre 8 euro per person. It is a guided tour, which you walk through the old and new parts dating back 100s of years until more recent times. Really interesting and you can almost imagine the time in history that the guide is talking about. Perfect amount of time spent going through the jail, with the stories narrating your walk as you go. A must see for anyone going to Ireland. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186605-d191025-r483629318-Kilmainham_Gaol-Dublin_County_Dublin.html# read more

Make reservations early or go online the same day at 9:15 to check availability. It is a Dublin highlight.

This tour is a must if you're visiting Dublin! Very informative and interesting. Our tour guide, Niamh was incredibly knowledgeable and patient. She captivated me so much, I went on to order some books and watch some videos to learn more about my husband's Irish history. Go raibh maith agat! read more

Visited last week, had an amazing tour from tour guide Peter. Actually brought me to tears. Really a must see when visiting Dublin, or Ireland in fact. Very happy we went. read more

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Touring Kilmainham Gaol is a great way to learn about Irish History! It's a short tour, and very interesting, so it makes it easy to stay engaged the entire time. I highly recommend booking ahead online, as the tours do seem to fill up pretty quickly. The building itself is fascinating, and beautiful in a very dark way. On the tour you learn so much about the history of the building, what different groups used it, who was imprisoned there, and how their imprisonment (and sometimes execution) shaped the future of Ireland. I learned so much, and really enjoyed this tour immensely. I recommend checking out some of the other guided tours you can do around historical sites in Dublin - it really ties everything together and helps you paint the big picture. read more

The Kilmainham Gaol is a hauntingly tragic place to visit. A strong sense of sadness permeates the atmosphere of the place, afterall this is the site of the imprisonment and execution of nearly all the leaders of the Easter Uprising in 1916. If you don't know much about Irish History I would suggest you take a guided tour (about one hour) to learn the history of this site and its important role in the famine and the fight for Irish independence from the British. The guided tour takes you through the chapel, the cells, the newer cell block and finally ends in the courtyard where the executions were carried out. The yard is marked with an Irish flag, a plaque and two crosses, One for the site of most of brutal killings and one for the place of the death of James Connolly who was so badly beat yp that he had to be strapped to a chair to be shot. Movie buffs will recognise this place as one which has had many movies filmed here including one that I enjoyed a lot - The Italian Job! read more

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that, for the overwhelming majority of people, prison does not look like fun. And that's modern prison mind, with central heating, table tennis tables and the guards doing 'sensitivity training'. None of which are currently, or ever have been, features of Kilmainham Gaol. Even the name is scary. The Angliscised version of Cill Mhaighneann somehow manages to, nearly but not quite, fit in a 'Kill' and 'Maim'. The 'Ham' kinda throws it, but the damage has already been done by the end of the first two syllables. Then you go inside. The first, most striking and enduring feature of Killmainham is the cold. The teeth chattering, bone numbing, cold. It could be the height of summer, you could magically transport the entire complex to the Carribean, and it'd still be arctic graveyard cold. The history of the place is drenched in blood, tragedy, abject misery, cold, more misery and the odd bit of burnt cold porridge. But that was all before it became a political prison. Things changed after that. There were less child prisoners for a start, less women too, so basically any remaining light or happiness was removed and shipped off to Australia. Cue more misery and throw in a few scurrilous executions for good measure. Fun Times. On a side note, the film Mean Machine was shot here. And messing aside, it's one of the most fascinating tours Dublin has to offer. But bring a jacket. read more

Hallowed ground. The tour takes you through one of the chapels, the old cell blocks, and into the main "new" wing with it's creepy panopticon vibe, which gets creepier when the guide explains the drive to make sure the prisoners were deliberately made to feel that they were under constant observation. There are good interpretive exhibits that go beyond the boring static "This belonged to so-and-so...and THIS belonged to a DIFFERENT so-and-so...and THIS..." and make use of some multimedia to bring various stories to life. The static exhibits that exist are well curated and bring some great light into the spirit of the prisoners there. Be prepared to cry when you read the last letter written from a prisoner to his mother hours before his execution. I especially liked the fact that the exhibit areas did a good job of pointing out the various points of view of the history of Irish nationalism and the Free State vs. Republican debate without taking sides. As of this writing there is a nice temporary exhibit featuring information about restoration of the gaol by volunteers from both sides of the civil war. Be warned-there are some very evocative displays, from calculations of the length of rope needed to hang somebody to the simple black crosses marking where the instigators of the 1916 Uprising where executed by firing squad. May not be great for kids. Bottom Line: "Mother I would just love one look at all the faces at home, yours above all, but seemly that is denied me..." J. Fisher. read more

Kilmainham Gaol is a haunting place, containing rich history. The jail homes acts of real horror carried out by the brutal British Soldiers during the times of Irish struggles. Savage acts including the prompt execution of Joseph Plunkett, only 10mins after marrying his bride in his cell for his participation in the 1916 uprising. The execution of James Connelly who was so badly wounded he could not even stand to take his death with dignity for his participation in the same rising. Men, women and even children we forced to live in horrendous conditions, were forced to live in non segregated cells. Yet with such a terrible history, out came hero's from this Gaol of terrible beauty... Kilmainham Gaol is a must visit while in Dublin, and indeed should be a compulsory visit, especially if you are from Dublin! The gaol offers tours, which are made up of free 90 minute guided tours, excellent, and very informant, and not as morbid as I might sound. An adult single will cost you €6 and a family ticket €14, which is fantastic value. An exhibition in the main hall and a video also outlines the history of the Goal Kilmainham Gaol was one of the main locations used in the films 'In The Name Of The Father', 'Michael Collins' and also used as the location for the music video "A Celebration" by U2 (1982) so it has it place in popular culture too. read more

This place never warms up, no matter how warm the sunshine is in Dublin. If you are Irish born or of Irish descent, your pride and emotion will take you over as you hear this song reverberate in your heart and mind while visiting this place and you will wish you had one single ounce of the courage of the famous Irish Rebels who were murdered here. Complacency is the word of the day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYH5h-5Dz40 read more

Kilmainham Gaol is a truly amazing place to visit. There is so much history inside those doors. If you want to know what life was like during the 19th century in Ireland's prisons, this is the place to go. It's a great trip, it's very reasonably priced and there's even a little tearoom for when you're finished. Make sure to read the walls. read more

In Dublin it is hard to compete with the FREE museums around town but the tour is worth every Euro. The guide told great stories and showed us historic locations and provided personal details in the stories she shared. You can tell the staff take pride in their work and country. The unfortunate part is you have to wait for a tour time. We heard this so we arrived before 10 am and got right in. Go early and it will be perfect. It takes about an hour for the detailed guided tour and then another hour or so for the museum. But they do allow for you to visit the museum while you wait for your assigned tour time. Visit the park and hospital across the street after for a nice afternoon walk. It is now an art museum and we did not go inside (closed Mondays) but it was a pleasant walk around the old hospital and gardens...free. read more

"Kill'em Goal." That is what my untrained ears had understood. Kill'em Goal was a local site not to be missed. After some creative sleuthing, I uncovered two things: (1) Gaol (not goal) = prison and (2) My difficulties understanding an Irish brogue is an embarrassment to my heritage. Now I too can confirm that Kilmainham Goal is NOT a site to be missed. Although currently empty of prisoners, Kilmainham Gaol is brimming with history. Thanks to a penchant for u2 and a desire to know more about my grandmother's side of the family, I already knew a bit about Irish history, including the Great Famine and 1916 Easter Uprising. I could rattle off minutiae about Michael Collins, Eamon de Valera, Countess Markiewicz and their contemporaries (how I missed the term "gaol" in all of this escapes me) -- but knowing and experiencing are very different things. Surprisingly, this gaol was reformist in its day. It was built to be an upstanding example for prisons and prisoner reform. And, walking around, wearing a heavy jacket and warm clothes, I was struck by how cold it was there. And damp. The cells would have been cramped for one or two people, let alone seven or more. Men, women and children were forced to try to eke out an existence within its confines. During the Famine many would commit minor infractions to be intentionally sent here, in order to be able to eat, as meager prisoner support was one of the few methods of assistance provided by the English at the time. This was also a holding port before a convict was transported to Australia. And, as we were here during on the Friday when the country voted for the Lisbon treaty, the experience gave a new depth to the vote. Overall, the gaol is a physical convergence of major events in the social formation of modern Ireland. All in all, YOU SHOULD COME HERE. When you do, bring: * A jacket * A love for all things historical and a bit melancholy * A desire to step in Eamon de Valera's shoes (as well as those of Bono, Michael Cain, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and Daniel Day-Lewis) * A student ID (if you can experience history on the cheap, do it) read more

Kilmainham Gaol - 1916 Uprising Execution Plaque - Museums Near Me - Kilmainham, D

If you would like to learn a bit of Dublin history, go to Kilmainham Goal. The tour starts with a video presentation, your tour guide then walks you around the prison stopping with anecdotal stories along the way which are fiercely interesting. The old structure itself is impressive - please note their warnings of holding handle rails when decending stairs however... for me 300 year old cement stairs and slippery shoes equalled me falling, and giving myself a bit of a blackout (eeck). I will say when I so dumbly hurt myself the staff was incredibly attentive and guided me out immediately when I asked to have them order me a taxi, which arrive minutes later. Thankfully I was living in Dublin, so I did go back in better shoes a couple of months later (when I was sure no one would recognize me as the girl who fell) to finish the tour, and the guide I had that go was fantastic as well. This is simply a must do when visiting Dublin. read more

When we arrived they were full up on tours for the day, but they did the best they could to accommodate and got us on a tour within 90 minutes. Our tour guide Vincent was knowledgeable and friendly. It was not a very long tour maybe roughly an hour, but the guide as well as the exhibits you will pass at the end made for a great trip I'd recommend to others! read more

I was given the gift of the Dublin Pass....3 days of as much culture as i could master. My favourite place to visit was Kilmainham Gaol....the history and the atmosphere of this eerie place really made the visit well worth the wait ( we started to q at 2.10 and we were on the 4.20 tour, just to give you an idea of how long we waited). The tour guides all know their stuff....and give you a great sense of the history of the building, the conditions of the prison and the prisoners! read more

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Guides are by tour guide only, and you may have to wait awhile to get your tour, but it is worth the wait! The Gaol has a lot of history in political aspects (Easter Rebellion and the executions), social aspects (number of prisoners allow you to see what was going on in Ireland at the time) and architecturally (one of the first of its kind to have individual cells and also had no glass in the windows), so it is a great thing to see while in Dublin. If you do need to wait there is a great museum to the left after the entrance where you can look at a lot things from the history to renovation. read more

If you're into history, this tour is a great start for Ireland's history. I was so moved by this tour because of the events that took place at the prison. Our tour guide was very informative, I left the jail and thought (Alcatraz aint got nothing on this place!) If you find yourself in Dublin, you like history and you have a little time, this is an excellent stop from the hop on hop off bus. read more

This is fabulous & accurately depicted by several others. Interestingly, our curator/guide was telling me how many women married Chinese men esp in the 1880's since they were considered more stable & less drunk than an Irish man. That was cool to know. I also just loved hanging out & reading all the historical museum stuff. Someone else joked that it would be good to take the Guiness tour (with it's concomitant pint) & then come here but that I did not do. read more