Republic of Ireland Kilmainham Jail Museum Dublin, Ireland

[gerardkenny]

Here are some pictures taken at the Kilmainham Jail museum a couple of weekends ago. I was going to put these in the collector showcase forum as there is no Irish section but on second thoughts here is probably better.

Here is the background to the place (for anyone not familiar with it); the prison opened it's doors in 1796 and closed in 1924. The period of time during which Kilmainham Jail was in active use saw the Wolfe Tone United Irishmen Rebellion of 1798, the rebellion of 1803 under Robert Emmet, the Great Famine of 1845 – 1848 (which reduced the population of the country by 2 million dead and emigrated), The Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 and the 1867 I.R.B. Fenian rising. The prison was most famously kept busy throughout the period of the Easter Rising 1916 and War of Independence 1919-1921 followed by the Irish Civil War 1921-1923. Famous prisoners include Robert Emett (taken out to be hanged and beheaded), Charles Stewart Parnell (the uncrowned King of Ireland), The 'invinvibles' (Fenian group of Phoenix Park killings fame). More famously from the 1916 Rising ; Patrick Pearse (Commander in Chief of the Irish forces in the G.P.O. during the Easter 1916 Rising, executed on 3 May 1916), Thomas James Clarke (executed on 3 May 1916) , Thomas MacDonagh (executed on 3 May 1916), Joseph Mary Plunkett (married Grace Gifford while in Kilmainham Gaol and was executed the following morning 4th May 1916), William Pearse (executed on 4 May 1916), Edward Daly (executed on 4 May 1916), Michael O'Hanrahan (executed 4 May 1916), John MacBride (executed on 5 May 1916), Michael Mallin (executed on 8 May 1916), Seán Heuston (executed on 8 May 1916), Con Colbert (executed 8 May 1916), Éamonn Ceannt (executed on 8 May 1916), Seán MacDiarmada, (executed on 12 May 1916), James Connolly (Unable to stand to during his execution due to wounds received during the Rising - executed while sitting down on 12 May 1916), He was the last of the leaders to be executed (Thomas Kent was executed in Cork and Roger Casement in London). Eamon DeValera was a Kilmainham prisoner who escaped execution and later led Ireland through the formative years including the emergency period, writing the Irish Constitution in 1937. This prison has also featured in several movies including the 1967 Michael Caine 'The Italian Job', Jim Sheridan's Guildford Four film 'In the name of the Father' and the Neil Jordan 1996 film 'Michael Collins'.

Among the museum exhibits are prison art from Frongoch in Wales (where many 1916 Rebels were deported to after Kilmainham and then Stafford Jail), prison art from Kilmainham, autograph books, Weapons including Thompson sub-machine gun, Irish independence Medals, 1916 Veteran armbands, paintings of Pádraig Pearse and Sean MacDiarmada, photographs, documents, caricatures, pro and anti treaty propaganda, Irish Civil War period mass/death cards along with 1966 Rising anniversary materials and 'Kilmainham Restoration' campaign paraphernalia.

Graffiti written by a Cumann na mBan member apparently (From Padraig Pearse, The Rebel )

And I say to my people's masters: Beware Beware of the thing that is coming, beware of the risen people Who shall take what ye would not give. Did ye think to conquer the people, or that law is stronger than life, And than men's desire to be free? We will try it out with you ye that have harried and held, Ye that have bullied and bribed. Tyrants… hypocrites… liars!"

Victorian interior

[gerardkenny]

Staircase

Cell door

Above several doorways are messages such as 'Hotel _____' & this one

The crosses mark execution spots where the leaders of the 1916 Rebels were executed

The stone breakers yard was also the scene of Irish Civil War free state executions

[gerardkenny]

Museum pieces

Letter from the executioner

Several prisoner autograph and photo books :

[gerardkenny]

War of Independence Propaganda Card

Veterans Armband issued at a ceremony held at the Rotunda Rink, Dublin, on Sunday 21 April 1935 to mark the 19th Anniversary of the Rebellion - Kilmainham Jail Museum

Serial number 232 of 1921 one of about 50 acquired by the IRA - Kilmainham Jail Museum

.303 Calibre Lee Enfield Rifle, taken in an IRA ambush of RIC in Rathmore County Kerry 6th May 1921 - Kilmainham Jail Museum

Prison art made by Irish Easter Rising veterans who were prisoners at Frongoch concentration camp Wales - Kilmainham Jail Museum

Portrait of Padraig Pearse

Medals

(Left to Right) The 1916 Active Service Medal, Irish War of Independence medal with Comrac bar to designate combat, this medal is also known as the 'Black and Tan medal', 1966 Commemorative 50th Anniversary Medal - Kilmainham Jail Museum

(Left to Right) The 1921 - 1971 Survivor Medal, Irish War of Independence medal with Comrac bar to designate combat, this medal is also known as the 'Black and Tan medal', 1966 Commemorative 50th Anniversary Medal - Kilmainham Jail Museum

(Left - Right) The 1916 Active Service Medal, 1921 - 1971 Survivor Medal, Irish War of Independence medal with Comrac bar to designate combat (also known as the 'Black and Tan medal'), 1966 Commemorative 50th Anniversary Medal - Kilmainham Jail Museum

[gerardkenny]

Art Sculptures in honour of the executed 1916 Rebels (outside Kilmainham Jail)

Part of the Art Sculptures in honour of the executed 1916 Rebels, depicting the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic. The most important document in Irish history.

The rest of the collection of 114 photos are here (including some of Dublin sites relevant to Independence era Dublin) ;

http://www.militaria-archive.com/museums/kilmainham/index.html

[Noor]

Very nice photos and thanks for sharing Gerard!

[army historian]

The weapon shown is a US .45 Caliber Thompson Sub Machinegun with drum roll magazine. The photos are great. Cheers Captain Albert

[gerardkenny]

The weapon shown is a US .45 Caliber Thompson Sub Machinegun with drum roll magazine. The photos are great. Cheers Captain Albert

Cheers for that & it sure is, I made a mistake on the captions of pictures. I captioned all of them then cleverly renamed a few which accidentally wiped all of the captions from every picture, and so had to start over. I must have missed that one when I re-did them.

Btw there is a very interesting article on these guns in Ireland here ;

http://www.historyireland.com/volumes/volume17/issue4/features/?id=114408

Also an excellent & very well researched site here too ;

http://thompsongunireland.com/

As an FYI these guns were showing up being used in places like Belfast as recently as the 1970's.

Also a smaller article here

http://mysite.verizon.net/colt1927/thompson/ireland.html

I remember Kilmainham Jail in the 1970's/80s as having a lot more handguns & firearms than it does thesedays. If I recall correctly possibly even a 'Peter the Painter' (German Mauser C96 pistol) though it's possible this one was moved to Collins Barracks when it was re-juvenated as a military museum in about 2007

http://militaria-archive.com/Collins%20Barracks%20Museum/index.html