Kilmainham Gaol
In July and August 2005, I spent two weeks in Ireland. Most of it was with a tour group via a public radio station, before I stayed at a Dublin hostel for three days.
The jail (gaol) is close to the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, so we got to drive around this beautiful 18th century building, which was recently fixed up according to the bus driver, Matthew. Behind the museum, we saw a beautiful French garden, with statues and carefully trimmed shrubs that form geometric patterns, a symmetrical set up. Toward the back are two mazes made from shrubs.
The front gates allowed just enough room to get the bus through. These regal gates are dark gray and have an upper part of armor on posts on either side of gate. But there wasn’t room for the bus to get to the prison through there, so we had to turn around and use a different route.
At Kilmainham Gaol, we paused in front of the entrance, because over the door was a striking stone carving: a five-headed serpent or dragon. I thought I’d make a sculpture based on it after I return from Ireland.
We stood in one unsettling cobblestone yard. Once upon a time, stones were pulled up, a body placed under, and quicklime poured to dissolve the body — making room for more bodies.
During the Great Famine, the jail was crowded, because people committed crimes (stealing) to get…