Featured Artifacts

Visit Kilmainham Gaol and discover a curated selection of preserved items — personal, symbolic, and cultural. As part of one of the most respected Irish historical sites, these artifacts offer insight into stories often left out of textbooks. From personal keepsakes to artistic expressions, each piece invites reflection and connection, helping make this Irish independence history museum more than a place — a shared space of memory.

Gandolfi Camera

Used in the late 19th century, this Victorian camera captured early prisoner portraits. Known as “mugshots” today, these images were part of evolving identification practices. The camera marks a turning point in how Kilmainham documented lives within its care.

More than a device — a silent observer of passing faces and forgotten stories.

“Young Ireland Shakespeare” Book

Owned by James O’Rourke, this book contains handwritten poems and notes from members of the Young Ireland movement. A powerful example of how political thought and literature intertwined during critical chapters of Irish history.

Pages filled with history — not only from the author, but from the readers.

Embroidered Pyjama Case

Crafted by women held during the Irish Civil War, this textile reflects quiet resistance through domestic expression. Preserved at Kilmainham Gaol, it speaks to the resilience of individuals in confinement — through thread, detail, and patience.

Stitch by stitch, it preserved identity where it was most at risk of being lost.

Watercolour by Grace Gifford Plunkett

Painted in 1923 during her time in Kilmainham, this portrait of a fellow inmate reflects inner strength amid isolation. Grace, an artist and activist, used art to transform silence into story — a lasting voice within the walls of this historic site.

Even within walls, the act of creating can reclaim space for reflection and hope.