Kilmainham Jail

On Sunday seven of us found the Kimainham jail after a long, enjoyable, post lunch trek.  We were able to go on a guided tour through the jail built in 1792.  We learned that it was decommisioned in 1924 after many years of being a part of Ireland’s troubled history.  Early in the tour we sat in the old chapel where our guide gave us an overview of the jail’s history.  His lovely Irish accent, knowledge, and passion for the subject allowed the stories to become very real.  At one point in his presesntation he explained how one of the men involved in the 1916 Easter rising got married in the very chapel we were sitting in.  He and his bride were married, had ten minutes together, and then he was executed.  We were able to see the jail cells where many historic figures in Irish history were held before their executions.  The prisoners spent twenty-two hours in their cells, one hour exercising, and one hour in the chapel.  The jail was originally intended to have one person in each of its 100ish jail cells but during the potato famine the prison population increased into the thousands as a result of theft crimes.  Reports from that time reported inches of human feces coating the prison floors.  Children as young as six years old made up much of the work force during this time so they were punished right along with adults.  The sentences were often inappropriately harsh for petty crimes such as stealing a potato. Sadly, these conditions were better than the conditions outside of the jail walls because at least here the prisoners were fed regularly. 
As I walked in places where so much sadness, fear, and brutality happened, I was floored by how different my life has been.  I am thankful for the opportunities I have had, for my health, for the people in my life, for our Saviour but I realized anew the need for me to fight hard against being to comfortable.  My priveledged life does not have to lead to apathy.