The Prisoners’ Lens: Secret photography in Kilmainham Gaol, 1921
The OPW presents a new exhibition of secret photographs taken in Kilmainham Gaol in 1921 during the War of Independence.
The photographs were taken by prisoners using cameras smuggled into the prison. They 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!
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 newsreel is being shown in the Gaol for the first time as part of this exhibition.
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 exhibition runs from 23 October 2025 to 31 October 2026.
Admission to view the exhibition is free.