One of the most powerful experiences we had in Ireland was visiting the 1796 Kilmainham Gaol. We saw both the old section and the east wing which was replaced with a new, updated design in the late 1850’s. Our tour guide, Mary, did an excellent job of telling us about the history of the jail/prison. She also shared the circumstances of some of the inmates and how they came to be there, including children during the Great Famine, and leaders of the 1916 Uprising. The museum provided interesting additional information.

We approached this site with foreboding, afraid of its tragic and brutal history. However, we found the visit stimulating. The guide was amazingly fluent which made her easy to listen to and also meant that a complex story was made simple and compelling. By the end, we both had for the first time a clear understanding of this key moment in the nation’s history. There was remarkable little anger, instead a measure review which raised many issues of principle such as the ruthlessness of colonial forces when their authority is challenged and how brutal overreaction sows irreversible seeds of discontent

Fantastic experience! Very interesting and refreshingly to the point. You get a great tour, without overstaying your welcome, while learning about its fascinating part it played in the history of 19th and 20th century Ireland. The museum after the tour was great as well. 10/10 would recommend for its price!

This was very informative and Our tour guide was great. Awe inspiring. Museum was also great. recommend getting tickets ahead of time because we had to back track later in the day for the tour. but it was worth it.

The tour was amazing - thanks Mary! Had the pleasure to learn about Ireland's history, with focus on the politics. Frankly, learnt most of what I wanted to know just in this tour. There's plenty to explore, both during the tour and after. Really got the feeling of what it was like to be Irish during each of the time periods covered. It's very hard to book, but worth staying up until the day you want is made available.

Very informative. Brings history to life with personal stories of prisoners. Many movies filmed her. Easy taxi ride from O’Connell bridge area $13 euro. No videos but can take pictures. Guides are very insightful and knowledgeable. Must see in Dublin but order tickets online 28 days ahead, they go fast.

This gaol tour was highly recommended so when I saw it was sold out for at least a month in advance I was disappointed, but I called and was told to try booking around 9am the following morning when new tickets are released - and I am so glad we tried this! We got tickets for the same day and this tour was quite possibly the highlight of my two and half weeks on the road. I've rarely been on a tour where human stories are conveyed with so much emotion and respect. The tour guide was a compelling storyteller who really painted a picture of this space over the years, sharing stories that transported you back in time, and making the crowd laugh a lot along the way as well. It was a wonderful way to gain more appreciation for several seminal moments in Irish history (the struggles for independence and the horrors of famine) which made the rest of our stay in Dublin more powerful, too. The museum you enter after the group tour was comprehensive and well curated, too.

Visited again with family this time, was last here 7yrs ago, we had the same tour guide who was still as enthusiastic as before. Really impressed with the knowledge, and the delivery of the stories, this chap is definitely in the right job. I think his name was David.

Wow!! A must visit when in Dublin, couldn’t recommend our tour guide Adam enough, he was brilliant, kept the history interesting, made sure we had plenty of time for photos. Tickets are very hard to get if you don’t book in advance! We got lucky & looked on the day & managed to grab some.

I am so so grateful we were able to include this tour in our trip to Ireland. Our tour guide, Adam, has an unparalleled talent for storytelling. His skill and passion for historical reenactment made you actually imagine the scenes playing out in front of you. Chilling stories about this prison's past left goosebumps on my arms and tears in my eyes. Thank you Adam for such a memorable experience.