Kilmainham Gaol (Dublin, Ireland)

The Kilmainham Gaol (Prison) was the city jail for hundreds of years.

You can visit it for a tour describing prison conditions in the 19th century as well as the history of Ireland’s independence movement: many of the key people fighting for independence were imprisoned and executed here.

Access is limited to guided tours, which leave every 30 minutes.

The place can be very busy, especially in high season. It gets crowded after noon, and you can get stuck in ticket queues for 30-40 minutes if arriving after lunch.

The tickets can’t be booked in advance, they are sold on first-come-first-served basis. It is recommended to arrive early to avoid the disappointment of finding all the tours for that day booked out, this can easily happen in the summer, as the prison is one of the top attractions in Dublin!

There’s one more inconvenience to be aware of: buying your ticket for a tour that will only start 1,5 hours later. Think in advance how you can fill the time if that happens. The place is on the city’s edge, so you won’t find a lot of restaurants, cafes or other sights in the neighbourhood.

Photo credits to Peter Merholz via Flickr

The tour itself is about 60-90 minutes.

It’s very cold inside in some parts of the jail, particularly in winter months, so you’d better wear warm clothes.

Comfortable shoes are also needed, as the tour involves alot of walking.

Give yourself some time beforehand to look at the exhibition of artefacts at the museum and use the facilities before your tour begins.

It’s not a good idea to take small children on this tour, it’s long, cold and the story of the place might be harsh for them.

Adult: €6.00

Senior / Group: €4.00

Child / Student: €2.00

Family: €14.00

Credit/Debit cards are not accepted.

Free admission with valid Dublin pass.