Kilmainham Jail

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Kilmainham Jail in Dublin Ireland opened in 1796 and would close in 1924. The jail functioned as a normal convict jail, but also as a political prison. It would be used as a prison during the most turbulent time in Irish history, consequently some of the most influential people to Irish history were detained there. Kilmainham jail acts as a viewing glass in which through to view the major historical events happening in Ireland between 1796 and 1924. The prisoners detained there highlight key events and the way prisoners were treated reflects the widely held ideas of prisoner reform at the time. One of the very first ways that Kilmainham reflected Irish history was through the Great Famine. The Great Famine took place in the 1840’s as …show more content…

Robert Emmet was taken to Kilmainham on August 25th and was tried for high treason and hanged September 19th. He was kept in the hangman’s room in Kilmainham the night before his execution after giving his very famous speech “When my country takes her place among the nations of the earth, then and not till then, let my epitaph be written” this speech would go on to inspire and be a goal for many irish nationalists. In this room he was told his mom had died and was approached by many officials and clergymen trying to make him admit his actions had been wrong. He was also watched by the hangman, who was trying to calculate the best length of rope to hang him, by studying his height and …show more content…

Anne’s story is particularly intertwined in Kilmainham as she was particularly despised by Dr. Trevor who was in charge of the jail and whose “reign of terror” would last from 1797-1817. Dr. Trevor expresses his hatred for the housekeeper;“Bad luck to you Anne Devlin, bad luck to you, you rebelly *****; I hope you may be hanged. I never saw but one woman hanged in all my life, and I hope I shall see you hanged; and if there was nobody else to hang you, I should hang you myself.” Anne was taken to Kilmainham September 3rd 1803, after being harshly interrogated at Dublin Castle and refusing to divulge any information to authorities. At the jail she discovered her whole family had been imprisoned as well including her 9 year old brother who had smallpox and would eventually die in the jail. After the death of the prime minister all state prisoners were to be released but Trevor moved Anne to Dublin Castle so she would not appear to be a state prisoner. Eventually she would be released in 1806 with broken

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