Historical Collections Online
Search our Historical Collections Online, a sample of 10,000 artefacts from the National Museum of Ireland’s Historical, Military and Easter Week Collections, published as part of the Decade of Commemorations.
postcard photograph / Kilmainham Jail, execution, May 1916
Postcard drawing, black and white, Kilmainham Jail, May 1916, depicting an execution of 1916 Leader. One of a collection of postcards relating to the 1916 Rising, leaders, aftermath, Kilmainham Jail and the executions. Produced in Ireland.
clock / Charles Stewart Parnell, Kilmainham, 1881
Charles Stewart Parnell's clock, with engraved plate reading 'I counted the hours for Parnell in Kilmainham 13th Oct. 1881 - 10th April 1882'. Wooden case with label of 'Blake's, Watchmakers, Jewellers and Opticians, Wexford Street, Dublin' on the back.
bowl / de Valera, Kilmainham, 1970
Turned wood bowl, made of a beam of wood from the old chapel in Kilmainham Jail. Presented to Eamon de Valera by the Restoration Project 3 February 1970, marking his escape from Lincoln Jail.
prison autograph album / Kilmainham Jail, 1923
Autograph album, containing signatures of republican prisoners in Kilmainham Jail, 1923.
drawing / Kilmainham Jail Chapel, 1923
Kilmainham Jail Chapel, pen and ink sketch by Grace Plunkett. Signed Mrs. Joseph Plunkett, Kilmainham, 1923.
photograph / Kilmainham Jail, 1921
Photograph of the interior stairs in the East Wing of Kilmainham Jail, September 1921. The original photograph was taken by one of the internees at the time.
prison autograph album / Kilmainham & North Dublin Union, 1923
Autograph album kept in Kilmainham and North Dublin Union in 1923, with late entries, by sister of M.C. Chalane and including entries by Grace Plunkett, Agnes O'Farrelly, Nora Connolly O'Brien, Maire Mac Swiney, Austin Stack, Eamon de Valera, Countess Markievicz etc.
prison art / Kilmainham, 1923
Countess Markievicz drawings in album kept by Mary Burke Dowling (and including some of her own sketches). Fronticpiece of the Windsor and Newtown Drawing Book is a title piece "Scenes in Prison". A wash drawing of a cell follows; then signed watercolour of her cell in Kilmainham in 1923 by Mary...
prison autograph album / Kilmainham Gaol, 1921
Autograph album, Kilmainham, 1921. Kept by Paddy Flood and including photograph of C. Clarke, V. Lawler and 8 men at Gleann na Si, June, 1921 and entries re. Kevin Barry and the Custom House fire.
photograph / Laurence O'Neill, Kilmainham Gaol, 1919
Photograph - Lord Mayor Laurence O'Neill announcing release of prisoners, outside Kilmainham Gaol, 1919.
prison art / Kilmainham, 1923
Watch pendant, silver, in the shaped of a celtic cross, with celtic design of triangles and knots. Made in Kilmainham Jail, Christmas, 1923. On the back is a scratched inscription in Irish ‘ do Seosamh(?) ó nAthair, Nollaig, 1923’ (to Seosamh from your father, Christmas 1923).
envelope / Charles Stuart Parnell, 1882
Handwrittten letter from W.C. Angus, a Scottish Radical to Charles Stuart Parnell, dated 1882. Addressed to Parnell at Kimainham Gaol, from an address at 159 Queen Street, Glasgow, January 10, 1882. He sympathises with the motives of Parnell and the Irish Party and encloses a series of...
last letter / J.J. Heuston, Kilmainham, 1916
Contemporary copy of letter, one sheet, written in pencil. Headed "Kilmainham Prison, Sunday, May 7, 1916." Directed to "Mr. Walsh" and signed "J.J. Heuston". (Sean Heuston). Copy of "last letter" written by J.J. Heuston. Copy presented to Miss Sarah Betts of Bride Street, Dublin.
photograph / 1916 Rising, aftermath
Set of four photographs, Dublin, 1916 Rising to War of Independence; an open armoured car with four British troop with machine gun, Red Cross ambulance with medics, the surrender of rebels from a building, and the scene outside Kilmainham (some duplicates).
portrait / William Smith O'Brien
William Smith O'Brien. Lithograph portrait, mounted, framed, glazed. H. O'Neill lithograph of head and shoulders daguerrotype by Glukman, with facsimile autograph and date 31 August, 1848 at Kilmainham Gaol. 17 x 19.5 inches overall.
letter / General Maxwell, 2 May 1916
Letter from Patrick Pearse to General Maxwell, General Commanding the British Forces in Ireland, from Kilmainham Gaol, dated 2 May 1916. Requesting that his statements regarding his financial affairs and unpublished poems, along with his personal possessions, are passed to his mother or sister.
last letter / Kilmainham Gaol, 7 May 1916
Last letter written by Seán Heuston before his execution, Manuscript letter, one sheet, written in pencil. Addressed from Kilmainham Prison, Sunday, May 7, 1916. Directed to Mr. Walsh, a colleague of Heuston's, probably at the Great Southern and Western Railway, regarding arrangements for his...
prison art / Kilmainham, 1923
Drawing of cell door with a quotation from Pearse all within a border of lock and chain. Quote 'Beware of the Risen People, Ye that have Harried and Held, ye that have Bullied and Bribed'. Water-coloured. Probably dates from the April 1923 concert period in Kilmainham. Unsigned. Originally from...
last letter / Eamon de Valera, 1916
Eamon de Valera last letter, 1916. Contemporary manuscript copy of letter written by Eamon De Valera on 9 May 1916 (incorrectly dated to 4 May on this, and other known contemporary copies) to Michael Ryan at Cashel.