Ireland: Dublin Castle and Kilmainham Gaol

Like the Guinness Storehouse, I also ended up at Dublin Castle twice last month (and it's a place I've been to the first time I went to Dublin). Luckily, the second time I went last month they had put up all the Christmas decorations and opened a few new rooms up which meant that I got to see something new at least!

Dublin Castle costs €4.50 to get in and you can either go round it on your own or take a guided tour (it's the same price either way). Just to note, if you do go round it on your own, you won't get to see the Medieval undercroft.

Like Dublin Castle, Kilmainham Gaol is also full of history - it's a very sobering and worthwhile place to visit. If you do go, wrap up warm as it's very cold there. The cells were severely overcrowded and conditions unimaginable but a lot of people would still commit a crime to get sent there. This is because most prisoners would get more food inside the gaol than outside.

Kilmainham Gaol is also where a lot of prisoners were put who fought for Irish independence and the guided tour you have to take to see the gaol - the tour costs €6.00 - tells you all about that. It's definitely worth going there to hear about the gaol's rich history and the important part it played in Irish history.