Kilmainham Gaol Museum

Kilmainham Gaol Museum

Kilmainham Gaol Museum
4.5
Speciality MuseumsHistoric Sites
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
About
This bleak old jail was notorious in the 19th century for its harsh treatment of prisoners.
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Plan your visit
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Kilmainham
How to get there
  • Suir Road • 8 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Karen H
    Smyrna, Georgia18 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Kilmainham Gaol provides history of struggles during Great Famine, 1916 Uprising and more
    One of the most powerful experiences we had in Ireland was visiting the 1796 Kilmainham Gaol. We saw both the old section and the east wing which was replaced with a new, updated design in the late 1850’s. Our tour guide, Mary, did an excellent job of telling us about the history of the jail/prison. She also shared the circumstances of some of the inmates and how they came to be there, including children during the Great Famine, and leaders of the 1916 Uprising. The museum provided interesting additional information.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 6 October 2023
  • ian j
    Oxford, United Kingdom188 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Absolutely excellent, concise fluent guide
    We approached this site with foreboding, afraid of its tragic and brutal history. However, we found the visit stimulating. The guide was amazingly fluent which made her easy to listen to and also meant that a complex story was made simple and compelling. By the end, we both had for the first time a clear understanding of this key moment in the nation’s history. There was remarkable little anger, instead a measure review which raised many issues of principle such as the ruthlessness of colonial forces when their authority is challenged and how brutal overreaction sows irreversible seeds of discontent
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 6 October 2023
  • Paul G
    Winnipeg, Canada6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Can't recommend enough for its price!
    Fantastic experience! Very interesting and refreshingly to the point. You get a great tour, without overstaying your welcome, while learning about its fascinating part it played in the history of 19th and 20th century Ireland. The museum after the tour was great as well. 10/10 would recommend for its price!
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 9 October 2023
  • Richard D
    10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    very educational
    This was very informative and Our tour guide was great. Awe inspiring. Museum was also great. recommend getting tickets ahead of time because we had to back track later in the day for the tour. but it was worth it.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 14 October 2023
  • Susana G
    Portugal11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best place I visited in Dublin
    The tour was amazing - thanks Mary! Had the pleasure to learn about Ireland's history, with focus on the politics. Frankly, learnt most of what I wanted to know just in this tour. There's plenty to explore, both during the tour and after. Really got the feeling of what it was like to be Irish during each of the time periods covered. It's very hard to book, but worth staying up until the day you want is made available.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 14 October 2023
  • Jim C
    Birmingham, Alabama915 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Prisoner history comes alive.
    Very informative. Brings history to life with personal stories of prisoners. Many movies filmed her. Easy taxi ride from O’Connell bridge area $13 euro. No videos but can take pictures. Guides are very insightful and knowledgeable. Must see in Dublin but order tickets online 28 days ahead, they go fast.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 14 October 2023
  • Lucy D
    London, United Kingdom12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A touching glimpse into key moments in Irish history
    This gaol tour was highly recommended so when I saw it was sold out for at least a month in advance I was disappointed, but I called and was told to try booking around 9am the following morning when new tickets are released - and I am so glad we tried this! We got tickets for the same day and this tour was quite possibly the highlight of my two and half weeks on the road. I've rarely been on a tour where human stories are conveyed with so much emotion and respect. The tour guide was a compelling storyteller who really painted a picture of this space over the years, sharing stories that transported you back in time, and making the crowd laugh a lot along the way as well. It was a wonderful way to gain more appreciation for several seminal moments in Irish history (the struggles for independence and the horrors of famine) which made the rest of our stay in Dublin more powerful, too. The museum you enter after the group tour was comprehensive and well curated, too.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 15 October 2023
  • Deborah D
    Glasgow, United Kingdom80 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Book your tickets well in advance online so you won’t miss out!
    Visited again with family this time, was last here 7yrs ago, we had the same tour guide who was still as enthusiastic as before. Really impressed with the knowledge, and the delivery of the stories, this chap is definitely in the right job. I think his name was David.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 16 October 2023
  • Courtney
    Devon, United Kingdom64 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    WOW! A must visit
    Wow!! A must visit when in Dublin, couldn’t recommend our tour guide Adam enough, he was brilliant, kept the history interesting, made sure we had plenty of time for photos. Tickets are very hard to get if you don’t book in advance! We got lucky & looked on the day & managed to grab some.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 16 October 2023
  • Nicole M
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    One of the most memorable parts of our trip!
    I am so so grateful we were able to include this tour in our trip to Ireland. Our tour guide, Adam, has an unparalleled talent for storytelling. His skill and passion for historical reenactment made you actually imagine the scenes playing out in front of you. Chilling stories about this prison's past left goosebumps on my arms and tears in my eyes. Thank you Adam for such a memorable experience.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 17 October 2023
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles27,920 reviews
Excellent
20,174
Very good
5,981
Average
1,252
Poor
267
Terrible
246

Meghan
Harlow, UK15 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Having been recommended the tour by loads of people previously I'd excitedly tried to book our tickets in advance but the dates we were in Dublin were showing as sold out. When I emailed to enquire about the availability as there was a notice saying there was work being done on the site around those dates, I had a copied and pasted response from the website. I then replied to ask a more specific question which was just completely ignored. That said, about a week before we were due to arrive, tickets strangely became available for the date we wanted but this was only found through checking the site every morning, NOT through any kind of helpful communication.

When we arrived for our tour, which admittedly we were running 5 minutes late for, we were asked if we wanted to go for the slightly later tour instead which worked perfectly as we had a nice coffee and cake in the cafe while we waited. Our tour guide had a lot of information but unfortunately she recited it in a robotic and clearly scripted way that left everyone on the tour bored and unimpressed.

Having been looking forward to this tour and been recommended it, I was left hugely disappointed and to be honest, no more educated on the integral part of Irish history that the museum holds. For a nation known for their passionate ability to tell a story, I can't help but feel our guide for the day really let the whole experience down.
Written 21 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rusmir
Dublin, Ireland190 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019 • Couples
Brilliant way to end your Easter Rising tour, as Kilmainham Gaol is the place where Conolly and others were executed. Museum/Jail is located in center city north-west side, the best way of getting there from city centre is by using a tram - red luas line, direction from Abbey street / Jervis towards Tallaght. Tour lasts between 45 mins and 1 hour and it's telling sad, brave and heartbreaking story in regards to Easter Rising. I will highly recommend to book tickets online, because attraction is very popular and all the times fully booked, so you won't be dissapointed if you just walk in and they refuse you, because all the tours for a day are being sold out. For a longer stay 7+ days this is a must see spot.
Written 19 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maja I
Osijek, Croatia241 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
This, for me, was one of the highlights of learning about Dublin (and Irish) history. This tour is really immersive, they take you through the cold stone corridors and cells, and tell you heartbreaking and inspirational stories about the men, women and children who were held there. Be prepared to walk through narrow corridors, climb stone steps, see some grisly stuff, but also to walk away with a bit of hope in your heart. I would recommend this tour to anyone over the age of 7 (that's just my opinion). Also, this is a really hard tour to book, since it sells out 3 to 4 weeks in advance, your best bet is to buy online tickets well in advance. Get there like 45 minutes early (or leave yourself some time after the tour) to check out their museum, you won't be sorry.
Written 18 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ovidiu S
Carei, Romania140 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
Great experience in this prison. Our tour guide David was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions, it’s very interesting to hear about the history of this place, and actually we were able to go inside in most of the prison cell. The tour took around a hour and 10 min, after that we visited the huge museum , it was included in the same price of 8 euros.
Written 14 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

paddiperkins
United Kingdom150 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
I have already confessed a lack of knowledge of Irish history & most of what I knew was limited to that was given to me at school so the trip to the Goal was an eyeopener to say the least.
I was familiar with the harshness of the justice system of the past but I couldn't help but me moved by the guides description of the prisoners especially those executed there.
It's hard to fathom the logic or reasoning behind some of the decisions.
What equally struck me was the comment that those incarcerated during the famine where actually 'lucky' as at least they were fed! This concept has some resonance today with my voluntary work with the homeless for whom a spell in a prison can bring some respite to constant fear, risk of attack, cold & hunger.
Truly a thought provoking visit.
It is simple enough to get there by tram & short walk. There is a modest entrance fee & booking is recommended.When went the booking system was down so we turned up on spec & were lucky to be able to buy tickets for later in the day. We took the opportunity to look around the museum first & have a cup of tea in the cafe before the 30 minute guided tour within the inner sections of the prison.
Written 2 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Liz C
Liverpool, UK70 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Friends
We only had a part tour as some is undergoing renovations, but what we did see was so interesting! Widely regarded as one of the most popular attractions in the city, we were repeatedly warned it pays to get to the Gaol early to avoid disappointment. Being winter, we didn't have too much trouble but I imagine in summer it gets very busy.

Hear about the tales of some of the more famous prisoners as well as some history of the prison. There is a small museum too as well as a cafe. Brilliant to see. For the very cheap entry fee I'd definitely recommend taking an early trip to see Kilmainham.
Written 20 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Callum P
Sleaford, UK5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Couples
Wasn't really sure what to expect but once we had a look around the museum before the tour it was clear there was alot of history within the prison. The tour was brilliant as well, the tour guide was so passionate about the history of the prison and I was so keen to listen to everything he had to say. I would highly recommend visiting. I would also recommend visiting the wax museum too, as you can see a few of the people and their short story that were mentioned during the tour.
Written 4 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

waynenshell
Exeter, UK62 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
Very interesting tour with a lot of history definitely worth visiting. Michael our tour guide was very knowledgeable and passionate on the history about the gaol. Would recommend wrapping up warm in winter months as it is as cold inside as out.
Written 27 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Emily M
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Friends
We had a tour today with ADAM a fabulous tour guide who was extremely enthusiastic and a wealth of knowledge. Adam is very passionate about our Irish history and I litreally hung on every word he said. We had great peace of mind as we all wore masks or shields with COVID 19 the tour was a small group. Booking is essential, it can last anything from 30 to 40 minutes although I do believe our tour alsmot hit the hour mark. They have sanitising stations throughout the museum and operate a one way system. We met a gentleman called Michael another guide in the museum after and he was another asset to our experience with his knowledge and his expertise. I would highly recommend a visit to kilmainham ghaol. I will be back again once covid 19 has eased up and we can access all areas where social distancing is hard to maintain. Thank you Emily Galway
Written 27 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Spuddles
Arthingworth, UK21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
This museum experience was launched in 2016 as part of the centenary of the Easter Rising. The gaol has been sensitively prepared for visitors without having the patina renovated out of existence. The tour, led by Erin, was extremely well-organised and slick and our guide was informative and knowledgeable. Having read about the rebels for over 25 years, it was a thrill to be able to see their names above the very cells where they were incarcerated. The site of their deaths by firing squad was highly moving. This was our number one experience as part of a three day trip to Dublin and I would highly recommend it.
Written 13 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Kilmainham Gaol Museum, Dublin

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