My ancestors - Humphrys - Contents

Kilmainham Gaol

Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin.
Where various Humphreys and O'Rahilly family members were jailed for revolutionary activities.
Notably, various female members of the family, who were held in the female section of Kilmainham.

De Valera visits Kilmainham Gaol in 1962.
From British Pathe.
See many more videos of Kilmainham Gaol.

1916 Rising:
Dick Humphreys was jailed briefly in Kilmainham Gaol after the 1916 Rising. He was held there at some point between 29 Apr 1916 and 5 May 1916, when he was deported to Britain.
Jim Sullivan was in Kilmainham with Dick.
Nell Humphreys was jailed briefly in Kilmainham women's prison in May 1916 after the Rising. She was moved to another prison on 9 May 1916.

Civil War, 1922-23: In the Civil War, Emmet Humphreys was jailed in Kilmainham in July-Sept 1922. Nell Humphreys was moved to Kilmainham in Feb 1923. She was moved to another prison probably in late Apr 1923. She was moved back to Kilmainham June 1923 and released July 1923. Anno O'Rahilly was moved to Kilmainham in Apr 1923. She was moved to another prison before June 1923. Sighle Humphreys was moved to Kilmainham in June 1923. She was moved to another prison probably in Sept 1923.

Kilmainham Gaol closed in 1924.
It is now Kilmainham Gaol Museum.
See street view.
The museum has some items which Sighle made in jail.

Sighle's cell in Kilmainham Gaol.
It now has her name on a sign over the cell.
Photo 2000. See larger and full size.
See other scan.

Close-up of her name. Photo 2000.
The sign says "1921" but this is wrong. She was not imprisoned under the British.
The sign should say "1923". She was only in Kilmainham for a few months in 1923.
Her name is also spelt wrong.
See larger and full size.

Sighle's grandson Manchán Magan in her cell in Kilmainham Gaol, think 2011.
From Feb 2012 article.

Since Kilmainham was closed shortly after Sighle left, her cell still has graffiti written by her.
This one reads: "Tunnel begun in basement laundry, inside door at left, may be of use to successors, good luck, S."
This was a 4 foot deep hole the prisoners had dug around July-Aug 1923, before discovery [McCoole, 1997, 2003].
From "B'í Mo Mhamó í" (2012).
See photo of this graffiti in [McCoole, 2003, p.134].
For Sighle's other graffiti in her cell see Feb 2012 article.

2016 photo of the above graffiti.
See larger and full size.