Militaria Archive

Kilmainham Jail, Dublin, Ireland

Pictures in this gallery include the sculpted doorway, cells, chapel, wings, landings, open areas and British and later Free State execution yards. Among the museum exhibits photographed here 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/remembrance cards along with 1966 Rising anniversary materials and ‘Kilmainham Restoration’ campaign paraphernalia. Featured at the end of the Kilmainham section are the executed leader’s art exhibit & pictures of Independence era Dublin locations.

Cell of Simon Donnelly, one of the few prisoners ever to escape Kilmainham Jail (along with Ernie O'Malley & Frank Teeling) Patrick Moran was offered a place in the escape but he was innocent & chose to stand trial - found guilty and executed. During the Easter Rising Donnelly was commander of C Company of Eamon De Valera's command in Boland's Mill & during the War of Independence Donnelly was Vice-Commandant of the 3rd Battalion of the Dublin Brigade of the IRA (also head of the Irish Republican Police). 1940 founded a new political party in Ireland Córas na Poblachta.