Kilmainham Gaol: How to Get Tickets

Kilmainham Gaol is one of the largest unoccupied gaols in Europe, and you cannot walk in without a booked time. Dublin Castle is closed to visitors until January 2027, so you can look at Dublin Castle pictures for now and plan a visit for next year.

Step 1: Book Kilmainham Gaol tickets on the official site

You can only get into Kilmainham Gaol with a ticket for a guided tour, and the only place to buy one is the OPW. The museum says tickets bought from other websites are not valid and holders are refused entry. Its plan a visit page points to its own site and to Heritage Ireland.

Tickets go on sale 28 days ahead, at midnight Irish time. The museum's FAQ says extra and cancelled tickets are released online between 09:15 and 09:30 on the day. So set an alarm for the night your date opens. If you miss it, check again at 09:15 on the day itself.

Entry costs €8 for an adult, €6 for a senior, €4 for a student and €20 for a family of two adults and two or three children. Children under 12 go free but still need a ticket, so book the free one. Tickets cannot be moved or refunded, except for a wrong day or time that you report by email within one hour.

Here is the booking timeline at a glance.

Pro Tip If you hold a Heritage Card, you still need a ticket. Book the free ticket online under the Heritage Card option and bring the card to validate it.

Step 2: Get to Kilmainham Gaol by Luas or bus

The easiest way to get there is the Luas red line to Suir Road, which is the nearest stop. The Gaol is about 3.5 km from the city centre. Dublin Bus route 60 runs from Wellington Quay or Heuston Station, and routes G1 and G2 run from Spencer Dock or Wellington Quay.

You cannot tap a bank card on Dublin Bus or Luas at the moment. Use a Leap card or buy a ticket from the machine at the stop. On the Luas you tap on before you board and tap off when you leave. Transport for Ireland's Luas fares page says a €100 fine applies if you do not validate. For more ways to move around the city, see getting around Dublin.

There is no car park on site. The nearest option is the car park at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. It is a 5 minute walk away through the Richmond Gate, which opens from 11am on Sundays.

The tour starts at the Gaol, and the OPW does not publish a group size. Plan to arrive 15 minutes before your tour starts. Your ticket covers entry only, and it cannot be moved or refunded. If you hold a ticket for one of the last two tours of the day, arrive 30 to 40 minutes early so you can see the museum first.

Step 3: Know what the Kilmainham Gaol tour is like

The guided tour takes one hour, and you should allow another 30 to 45 minutes for the museum. The building opened in 1796 and Heritage Ireland says it closed as a prison in 1924. Leaders of the rebellions of 1798, 1803, 1848, 1867 and 1916 were held here, and some were executed.

You walk through the old cells and the yards with a guide. The Victorian east wing has 96 cells that you can all see from one central point, under a huge skylight. Tours run in English and Irish, and a leaflet is available in other languages.

Opening hours are simple. The Courthouse Visitor Centre is open from 09:30 to 17:15 and the museum from 10:30 to 17:15. The Gaol is closed from 24 to 27 December. The café and gift shop need no ticket.

Key Takeaway The Gaol is open all year except 24 to 27 December, but the tour is one hour long and the building is very cold in winter, so wear warm layers.

Some visitors should think twice. The museum does not recommend the tour for children under 6, and buggies and wheelie bags are not allowed. The visitor centre has lockers for small items. Wheelchair users should email the Gaol before booking, because it can arrange a ground floor tour.

History is easier to remember in the room where it happened.

Step 4: Have a plan B if Kilmainham Gaol is sold out

If the tour is sold out, the only way in is to try again, because no tour or ticket reseller can get you inside. In Things to Do in Dublin's count of GetYourGuide listings on 25 October 2026, 0 of the 216 listings for Dublin and day trips from it name Kilmainham Gaol in their title or description. So treat any ticket sold elsewhere with care.

Check the OPW site at 09:15, and look at the dates around your trip. Then fill the day with a ride that shows you the same city. A hop-on hop-off bus needs no time slot. The DoDublin hop-on hop-off bus is from €29 per person, rated 4.5 from 3,533 reviews, with free cancellation. The Big Bus hop-on hop-off tour is from €32 per person, rated 4.4 from 1,081 reviews, and its full loop takes about 1 hour 50 minutes. Neither includes hotel pickup. The Big Bus starts at 13 O'Connell Street Upper, and DoDublin's page says its meeting point depends on the option you pick. Both include live guides, and neither page gives a group size. To compare both, see big bus tour Dublin options.

For a similar story on foot or by bike, try the guided bike tour of Dublin. It lasts 3 hours, costs from €35 per person and is run by MyBikeorHike. Its page says the route passes the Gaol, so you see the outside, not the inside. No group size is listed, and the booking page shows the meeting point. It has only 5 reviews so far, rated 5.0, and it is not for children under 16. The Glasnevin Cemetery history tour lasts 2 hours and costs from €17 per person. It meets at the cemetery on Finglas Road, includes the guide and the exhibitions, and is rated 4.7 from 159 reviews. No group size is listed. Food and drink are extra at the cafe. Read about the site in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026.