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. Plan trip to Cork with our itinerary maker to find out where to go and what to do.
Create an itinerary including Cork City Gaol
© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors
Tours to Cork City Gaol
Cork City Gaol reviews
-
Very interesting, was good value for money! Very good cleaning standards and felt very comfortable throughout. more »
-
Cork doesn’t have too many visiting attractions so this is a must see. We chose the interactive audio self tour, this really brings the prisoner stories to life. The Gaol grounds are also worth... more »
-
The Cork City Gaol was one of the best attraction I visited in Cork! You can discover a lot of things about what happened in the last two centuries and you can also have a lovely tour around the beautiful building. Everything is clear and well-organized, so you can easily do your own visit without the guide. I would come back again, because my experience was amazing! The price is quite cheap (10,50€ adult - 8,50€ student/senior - 6€ children under 18) and I recommend it to everyone who is going to Cork. The guided tour start every 30 minutes.
-
10€ for a guided tour. Takes around and hour and a half. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Due to the well kept records of the prison, detailed records of the conditions, the inmates, and the history is available. The tour includes interesting stories of some of the inmates, including women and children, who served time here.
Plan your trip to Cork
Get a personalized trip
A complete day by day itinerary
based on your preferencesCustomize it
Refine your trip. We'll find the
best routes and schedulesBook it
Choose from the best hotels
and activities. Up to 50% offManage it
Everything in one place.
Everyone on the same page.
Popular things to do in Cork
Side trips from Cork
Hidden gems in Cork
Historic Sites in Cork
Shopping in Cork
Trips to Cork City Gaol by other users
15 days in Ireland
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Dublin
Kilkenny
Cork
5 days in Cork
BY A USER FROM IRELAND
Killarney National Park
Nano Nagle Place
Holy Trinity Church
18 days in Ireland
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Dublin
Kilkenny
Cork
31 days in Ireland
BY A USER FROM SOUTH AFRICA
Dublin
Kilkenny
Westport
7 days in Cork
BY A USER FROM IRELAND
St. Anne's Church
Cork City Gaol
Butter Museum
60 days in Ireland
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Westport
Inishmore
Doolin