The OPW presents a new exhibition of secret photographs taken by prisoners using cameras smuggled into Kilmainham Gaol in 1921, during the War of Independence.
This exciting new exhibition, which highlights the everyday life of prisoners in Kilmainham Gaol, invites us to see the prison anew, reminding us of the enduring humanity that can be found in the darkest of places.
The photographs featured in ‘The Prisoners’ Lens’ record everyday life in Kilmainham Gaol in 1921. Among the activities they depict are boxing matches, Irish language classes, religious services and drama productions. Other photos show the men enjoying the sunshine in the south-facing yards, cooking food in the kitchen and playing with two dogs they seem to have acquired.
Also featured are letters written by the prisoners, including some by a prisoner named Vincie Lawler in which he instructs his mother on how to smuggle in film and developing paper into Kilmainham Gaol by hiding them in a tin of sweets.
The prisoners were finally released from Kilmainham Gaol on 8 December 1921 following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. Their release was filmed by British Pathé News, making it the earliest known film footage of Kilmainham Gaol. This fascinating newsreel is being shown in the Gaol for the first time as part of this exhibition.
Admission to the exhibition is open to the public seven days a week. Admission is free.
Image Caption: Thomas Wall sits in front of laundry drying in a yard of Kilmainham Gaol. Wall was only 16 when imprisoned in Kilmainham and was killed the following year during the Civil War
