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Cork City Gaol, Cork

4.3
#1 of 129 in Museums in Province of Munster
#History Museum, #Historic Site
At Cork City Gaol you can experience what it was like to live in a 19th-century Irish prison. The facility opened in 1824 and closed in 1923, but the museum was not available to the public until 1993. Tour the grounds, view furnished cells, and walk the halls of this historic prison. At different points over the years, both male and female prisoners were jailed here. Many Irish War of Independence and Irish Civil War Republicans were held in this prison, including the famous writer Frank O'Connor. Though the prison has a somber atmosphere, take the time to appreciate the beauty of the structure, designed by architect William Robertson and built by the Deane family. Find out how to plan Cork trip without stress by asking Inspirock to help create an itinerary.
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Cork City Gaol Tours
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Cork City Gaol Reviews
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1,399 reviews
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4.4
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  • By AlanMerrins On March 18, 2018
    I'd lived in Cork for 4yr but never realised I could visit. On my recent return visit, I made sure I checked it out. It's a pretty interesting spot and the audio tour was very good. It had a slight fe...  more »
  • By RetiredGent60 On March 14, 2018
    A little bit like Kilmainham Jail, Cork Jail is a mine of interesting history surrounding the English occupation of Ireland with the extra unexpected little gem that the building also served as the HQ...  more »
  • By Smdmac On March 10, 2018
    This is a great place to visit for adults and children. Unchanged since it closed over 45 years ago. The cells have great displays in them showing how hard life was back then. The radio museum is also...  more »
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  • By Courtney Murphy On January 29, 2018
    Very interesting place to visit and take the tour. You walk through the jail to different locations with a guide map that has neat facts about how the jail operated, stories of prisoners that occupied it, and how life was inside the prison. The tour can be done in about 30-45 minutes depending on how fast you read. Definitely a must-see while you are in the area.
  • By Brian Brosnan On April 4, 2018
    It was a great day for my two boys and a great education for them. The gaol is very well kept and well run by professional staff. Thanks for a great day..
  • By peter o reilly On March 19, 2018
    I thought the price was ok. It was around 32 euro for 4 of us and it was worth the hour. the videos at the end were a nice touch.well worth going to see and parking is not a problem. Stunning building beautiful bit of history and a lovely quick trip out if you dont have a huge amount of time.if your walking its not too far outside of the city and you have a beautiful walk along the way with some fantastic views
  • By conor jordan On April 6, 2018
    Definitely worth a visit. Once is enough, could be slightly more informative. Beautiful building, surely many great stories to be told.
  • By Tim Eller On March 29, 2018
    It's impressive how much effort went into both preserving and presenting the history of this Gaol. Well-realized mannequins and piped-in jail sounds turn a normal stroll amongst the old prison walls into a time travel experience.
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