The last historic place that we had planned to visit was Kilmainham Gaol (pronounced "jail"). Kilmainham held many famous Irish rebells from Ireland's numerous rebellions. It was a very sobering place to end our trip to Ireland on.
Five Snakes in Chains
Kilmainham Gaol was founded in 1796. It quickly became a brutal place to be imprisoned in. There was no segregation between men, women and children, the women being treated much worse than the men. It was repoted in 1809 that the men were given iron bedsteads to sleep on while the women slept on the filthy floors in the cells and halls. Half a century later there was little improvement.
Display
Gaol of Doom
Our tour guide was very good at what he did. He was very informative and knew his history well.
Prison Chapel
Joseph Plunkett was arrested during the Easter Rising of 1916. He was imprisoned and sentenced to death by firing squad in Kilmainham. Just a short 3 hours before he was executed, he married his sweetheart, Grace Gifford in this chapel. After the marriage, they parted ways, he, to return to his cell and death, and she to her home.
Spy hole
It is said that the youngest prisoner was a boy of 5 who was accused of stealing a piece of chain.
Simon Weafer
I wasn't able to find any information on this man...
Observation
Mullioned Window
Walkway
There are narrow walkways all along the hallways of the upper stories to make guard duty easier.
Moldering
Exporting changed the looks of this photo. Arg...
Crowd
Mom and I stayed toward the back of the crowd so that I could take pictures.
Hasp
Remains
Execution Room
This room was the "holding tank" for those waiting to be executed. As we were all crowded in there, it was sobering to think of all those men who spent their last few hours in this very room. All those souls, hurled into eternity.
Gloom
Anne Devlin is one amazing woman who's almost been forgotten. In 1803 when she was 25, Anne was hired as "housekeeper" for Robert Emmet. In reality, Emmet hired her to be his confidante and helper in the revolution that he was planning. Emmet entrusted the delivery of his messages to Anne, who organized the delivery of them to more than 50 insurgents all over Dublin. This put her in reach of all of those addresses.
After the rebellion failed, Anne was questioned by Dublin's Chief Police. She refused to talk, even after the police tried to bribe her with 500 pounds and government protection. The chief police begged Anne to inform on Emmet, seeing that he was caught already and sentenced to death. Emmet himself begged her to speak, but she resolutely refused. Dr Edward Trevor, who was known as the "Devil's partner", used every form of torture to try to get Anne to speak about Emmet and the other insurgents. After using physical and mental torture, she still refused to speak!
Anne was imprisoned for 3 long years. Most of her family was imprisoned alongside her in an effort to induce her to inform which resulted in the death of her 9 year old brother.
She was eventually released in 1806 and led a life of abject poverty, eventually dying from starvation and old age.
I gathered all this information from the memory of our tour and several different websites. I found a very moving article about Anne Devlin here. Please take the time to read about this amazing woman.
Victorian Wing
Or, commonly known as the "East Wing."
Iron Spiral
Prisoner
Four Stories
Abi :)
Mrs. Joseph Plunkett
Grace Gifford Plunkett was imprisoned in this cell from Feb.- May of 1923. She was arrested during the Irish Civil War along with many others.
Cobwebs
Invasion
Carndonagh Hotel
According to our guide, prisoners carved these names above their cell doors.
To Let!
Memorial Plaque
"Here, after Easter Week, 1916, the following leaders were executed..."
After our indoor tour, the guide took us out to the courtyard where executions took place.
Cruel British Reign
This picture has a sad story behind it. James Connolly was part of the Easter uprising of 1916. He was wounded in the fighting and carried to Dublin Castle, then transported to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, across the street from the gaol. Despite the doctor's pronouncement that Connolly had only about two days to live, the British decided to execute him. He was carried to the prison courtyard on a stretcher through that big door in the picture. Connolly was so weak that they didn't even take him to the other side of the courtyard where the other men were waiting to be executed. Instead, they had to bring a chair for him, but when he sat in the chair, he didn't have the strength to even sit up. So, the British tied him in the chair, then executed him by firing squad. The cross marks the place of his death.
Hanging
The front of the gaol is where the public hangings took place in Kilmainham's first years
Messy
Our messy hotel room...
Entrance
Dublin Life
We were wanting to go to the Irish National Archaeology Museum, but everybody decided that we were too tired to walk to it since we still had shopping to do on Grafton Street.
Irish Lace
Gram was searching for some Irish lace for my cousin Taylor, who wanted it for her wedding. We knew of one shop that sold lace, but they didn't have quite what we were looking for. The girl at the counter told us of another shop. So, we trucked off to find that one, but got lost on the way and had to ask directions (of a lady that was selling flowers and had such thick accent that we could barely understand her). Finally, we found the place a got a pretty length of lace.
The Loft Cafe'
After we got the lace, we just went shopping, getting last minute gifts and souvenirs. We found this little hole in the wall grocery/restaurant around 2:30 or 3, where we got some lunch. You had to walk through the little store, then up a dingy, winding staircase to get to the restaurant. After lunch, Mom and I bought some candy for the folks back home from the store below.
Menu
They actually had really good food!
Paninis, Soup, You Name It!
Once we'd left The Loft, we wandered into an Irish gift shop (you know, Irish souvenirs made in China). I finally found Nate's gift there. It was a quaint little shop.
Gardas
Irish Sea
Gram wanted to go the Irish Sea to get a little bottle of sea water for the people back home and just to see it. She road a taxi there. Her cabman was so nice to her! He charged her a lot less than the other cabmen had been charging her for shorter distances. He even went down the the ocean to fill her bottle of water for her! That's what I call a gentleman!
While walking back to the hotel (it's about a mile from St. Stephen's Green to our hotel), I caught a glimpse of a bakery and cafe called Lolly and Cooks that had gluten free food. I had really wanted to see a bakery that actually made gf baked goods, so Mom and I stepped in to take a gander. They had gf cupcakes that looked just scrumptious, but I didn't get any. I look back now and wish I had!
After resting awhile at the hotel, we started packing and organizing our suitcases. As we were packing the candy, Mom and I realized we hadn't gotten enough, so we turned out to a little grocery store down the street away and around a corner.
Gram was back when we got back to the hotel. She was so blessed by her cab driver!
It was so funny, Aunt Carol and TJ. showed up at our room asking for directions to that store so that they could get more candy too. That was the "nuns" second appearance in that store. They came back with some Irish fudge that had been really cheap. If you've ever had Irish fudge, then you'll know why we had to go back and get some for ourselves. So, Mom and Aunt Carol went this time, making it the mysterious nuns' third appearance. The cashier must've wondered if the place was being overrun by nuns. :)
After all our traipsing around all day, we finally got settled in for our last night in Ireland.
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