Kilmainham Gaol is a decommissioned prison in Dublin that held and executed nearly all of the Irish revolutionary leaders. Visiting was one of the most sobering experiences of my life. Bullet holes are still visible throughout the prison yard and the stories of children imprisoned as young as 7 still haunt my memory. The conditions prisoners were kept is unimaginable, with 5 to a cell (men, women, and children), scraps for food, and nothing but a candle to last them for weeks. Cold, dark, and damp...this place stole the joy right out of my soul. However, these horrors can't be forgotten...the lives that were sacrificed will not be for nothing. As an American who has strong Irish ancestry, I'm proud of the freedom fighters during the Irish Civil War, to end 800 years of English oppression (which I also ironically have ancestral connections to). There is a museum attached to the site that is magnificently done. If you are in Dublin, add it to your itinerary and get there early as it is one of the most popular sites and the line has been known to go down the street. On a lighter note, the site has also been used for several films, most notably...The Italian Job. 💚🇮🇪🍀 Don't forget to SWIPE ⬅️! #ireland #emeraldisle #kilmainhamgaol #prison #dublin #history #irishcivilwar #1916easterrising #gaol #revolutionaries #freedom #oppression #discoverireland #brilliantlybohemian #blogger #gypsysoul #ancestry #irishancestry #creativewanderers (at Kilmainham Gaol)
