I have been looking forward to the visit to Kilmainham Gaol since I first saw it was on the itinerary for this trip. I googled images and I have to say it was even more astounding in person. The jail was in surprisingly good condition considering its 100 years old and had to be restored a couple decades ago. It was interesting to learn how two groups that opposed each other during the war banned together to rebuild Kilmainham. The tour guides have worked hard to maintain the structural integrity of this beautiful piece of history and provide explorers with a brief and interesting account of what occurred here. I couldn’t believe children as young as 5 years old were put in jail for petty crimes mostly fueled on their survival. It was eerie to stand in the nicer room where those awaiting execution would spend their final night under the watchful eye of the executor.

After we completed the tour we wandered through the grounds of an old hospital that has been converted into an art museum. Here we got to see a building I realized I had seen in the distance just yesterday. It was really cool to get up close and personal to a place I had only seen the recognizable green roof of from the top window at Hugh Lane. The building was incredible and completely encircled a large stone courtyard. Unfortunately, the museum is closed on Monday so we were only allowed the outdoor tour, fortunately it was lovely outside today.

#dubbelgsu