Kilmainham Gaol

Kilmainham Gaol, featured in many a rebel song and occupying a particularly gloomy place in Irish history, should rank high on the list of Dublin's greatest sites to see for anyone interested in Ireland's difficult past. The leaders of the 1916 Uprising were taken here and killed in the prison yard after being convicted of High Treason. The sole person saved was future Irish President Eamon De Valera, who was spared due to his American citizenship.

The prison, which opened in 1796, was a dark, unpleasant facility that imprisoned individuals convicted of misdemeanors such as failing to pay train tolls and, during the famine, the impoverished and hungry. Kilmainham became an unmistakable image of oppression and persecution in the eyes of the Irish. A visit here will open your eyes and stay with you forever. The previously described yard is particularly spine-chilling. In a nutshell, this is one of Ireland's must-see attractions.

Location: Inchicore Road, Dublin 8,Ireland