Kilmainham Gaol opened in 1796 as the new County Gaol for Dublin. It closed its doors in 1924.

Today the building symbolises the tradition of militant and constitutional nationalism from the rebellion of 1798 to the Irish Civil War of 1922-23. Leaders of the rebellions of 1798, 1803, 1848,1867 and 1916 were detained and in some cases executed here. Many members of the Irish Republican movement during the Anglo-Irish War (1919-21) were also detained in Kilmainham Gaol, guarded by British troops. Names such as Henry Joy McCracken, Robert Emmet, Anne Devlin, Charles Stewart Parnell and the leaders of 1916 will always be associated with the building. It should not be forgotten however that, as a county gaol, Kilmainham held thousands of ordinary men, women and children. Their crimes ranged from petty offences such as stealing food to more serious crimes such as murder or rape. Convicts from many parts of Ireland were held here for long periods waiting to be transported to Australia. Kilmainham Gaol Museum is operated and managed by the Office of Public Works.

Partial Closure of Kilmainham Gaol in 2020

To facilitate essential maintenance work, the West Wing of Kilmainham Gaol will be closed to visitors from 13 January – 05 February 2020. Tickets for a 30-minute tour of the Victorian Wing and Stonebreakers Yard will be sold at reception from 9:30am every morning. Tickets will be sold on a first come first served basis. There is no online booking available during this period. Tickets for guided tours scheduled between  06 February – 16 February  will be only be released online when the work has been completed and the West Wing is re-opened for visitors. Please check the website before your visit for any updates or changes.