The weather today wasn’t quite as cold and windy, but I can see why they say to pack clothes for every season. Dublin’s public transportation isn’t the best and some sites are spread out around the city, so we took the Hop on/Hop off Bus. The bus was a great way to get around and out of the cold weather.
We toured the Kilmainham Gaol, a jail important to Ireland’s history built in the 1700s. Men, women, and children were housed together with a single candle for light and heat. The youngest prisoner was a seven year old boy imprisoned by petty theft. Public hangings were held in front of the jail when it first opened, as well as executions of political prisoners by firing squad in later years. In recent years, several movies have been made there including In the Name of the Father with Daniel Day Lewis and Michael Collins with Liam Neeson.
We also went to the Guinness Factory, which had a gorgeous bar on the top floor where you could get a free pint and try soups, appetizers, and desserts made with Guinness.
Kilmainham Gaol
Prison yard where political prisoners were executed
