Kilmainham Square

The former Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin's Kilmainham district is now a museum and national memorial. Built in 1796, the building held numerous Irish rebel leaders and politicians over the centuries, including Charles Stewart Parnell and Eamon de Valera. The site is especially well known for the execution of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, which is commemorated by a memorial in the stone-breakers' yard. After the prison closed in 1924, the complex fell into disrepair until it was restored in the 1960s. You can explore the historic prison on guided tours and get a sense of the important role the site played in Irish history.