No literature about Kilmainham could pass without mention of Kilmainham Gaol and its role in the liberation of Ireland.

The leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising were imprisoned and executed within its walls, including Padraig Pearse and James Connolly. This martydom was instrumental in turning the tide of public opinion, and creating the conditions for eventual separation from Great Britain.

The Gaol has many other historical associations. The struggle for independence was a long, painful one, with leaders of rebellions in 1798, 1803, 1848 and 1867 also being detained here. Such luminaries as Robert Emmet and Charles Stuart Parnell are associated with the Gaol, while Eamon De Valera was its last occupant.

In 1960, it became a museum and was restored, although the cells have been left in their original condition as a reminder. The guided tour of the museum provides a step back in history.