dublin - kilmainham gaol

Kilmainham gaol. Built in 1796, it was built to replace a noisome dungeon. In its 140years, its cells held many famous Nationalists and Republicans in members of the Society of United Irishmen (1798), Young Irelanders (c1840s), Fenians and Land agitators, Parnell, Davitt; who campaigned for Irish Independence. The leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were executed here.Children were sometimes arrested for petty theft with the youngest aged 7. He was arrested for stealing grass (which has no nutritional value) for food as his family was too poor to afford any food. There was no segregation of prisoners; men women and children were incarcerated up to 5 in each cell, with only a single candle for light and heat, most of their time was spent in the cold and the dark. Here is a walk through..

"the 5 serpents were to show that even the deadliest snakes can be tamed in this prison."-cj

"the Georgian part of the jail. there were no windows and
the walls were made of lime stone that absorbed
water making hygiene a problem. "-cj

"the victorian part of the jail. the victorians believed that sunlight
helps to improved mental and physical health of the prisoners.
thus the open windows at the top. "-cj

"a peek into the cell. painted by one of the prisoners."-cj

"Beware of the Risen People. to remind us of
the power of people during a rebellion."-cj

"the people were put to work. breaking rocks
.. every stone one lifts by day becomes one's heat by night.."-cj

"food inthe victorian prison was weighed on scales
as delicate as those of Justice herself."-cj

"the stark contrast between freedom and imprisonment. "-cj

"every irish is proud of his identity."