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Housed in a modern hall of the gaol, this exhibition puts visitors in the rather gruesome mood for what is to come. On the ground floor is a section on hanging techniques, while upstairs deals with the struggle for independence (see The Easter Rising).

A fascinating if depressing place, it doesn’t take much to imagine the horror of internment here. The guide tells of the conditions the prisoners were subjected to – one hour of candlelight a night – and the types of hard labour.

The most poignant story related about the chapel is the wedding here of Joseph Plunkett and Grace Gifford. They married on the eve of Plunkett’s execution, and were allowed 10 minutes alone together before Plunkett was taken out and shot.

A fine example of the “Panoptical” layout, used in many Victorian prisons. The idea was to maximize light but allow for constant surveillance of the prisoners.

A tour covering Irish history from 1796–1924 takes in a children’s exercise yard, a Civil War yard, and the Stonebreaker’s Yard, in which the leaders of the 1916 uprising were executed (see The Easter Rising).

This austere doorway is flanked by iron gates and sets the mood for a visit to the gaol. A long tree-lined avenue links the fine surroundings of the Kilmainham hospital to its much bleaker neighbour.

Since its move here in 1991, the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) has made full use of the space available. There is a regularly changing resident collection so even the most regular visitor is likely to see something new. Innovative contemporary art features in touring exhibitions.

The formal gardens of the hospital were designed by Edward Pearce between 1710 and 1720 to represent the crosses of St Andrew and St George. They are currently being restored to their former glory.

This grand room served as the soldiers’ dining room. The portraits of monarchs and viceroys, commissioned between 1690 and 1734, are the earliest surviving collection of institutional portraits in Ireland.

The magnificent ceiling here unfortunately suffered decay at the end of the 19th century and what can now be seen is a papier mâché replica of the original. James Tabary, a Huguenot settler, carved the altar, reredos and rails from Irish oak in 1686.