Since 1795, Kilmainham Jail has provided the backdrop for some of the most significant moments in Irish history, in particular the struggle for independence. Countless Irish patriots were imprisoned here from 1798 on including Charles Stewart Parnell, Robert Emmet, Eamon de Valera, Padraig Pearse and James Connolly. Fourteen leaders of the Easter Rising were executed at Kilmainham in 1916. One of the largest unoccupied jails in Europe, visitors are given a guided tour through all phases of the jail's history up to its final closure in 1924.
Visitors can walk into individual cells and read the signatures of famous prisoners on the wall.
A detailed audio-visual presentation is included as part of the guided tour.