Kilmainham Gaol Historical Museum is a key sight for anyone who is interested in Ireland’s struggle to gain its independence from the British. Political prisoners were incarcerated, tortured, and killed within these walls between 1796 and 1924 when President Earmon de Valera walked out its doors as the final prisoner. Walking through these corridors through the exercise yard, or into the main compound is quite a moving experience that will linger in the memory for quite some time.

This prison housed the likes of revolutionaries such as the Pearse brothers and Earmon de Valera, a good many of whom were killed during the uprisings that occurred in the earlier part of this century. It was also the setting of parts of Neil Jordan’s film, "In the Name of the Father." It’s impossible for visitors not to note that the goal is a stirring reminder of the turbulence that is a part of Ireland’s history. The courtyard where the prisoners were executed gives off a feeling of eeriness, of something unsettling. The two levels of cells inside seem very cold, dark, and cruel.

The museum that is housed in the main building of the old prison has an informative movie and exhibit on the prison. Sadly, there are potential plans to destroy this historical structure in favor of office buildings. Petitions are being generated to preserve it and its link to Ireland’s past.