Debtors' Prison Dublin, Former prison building in Dublin City, Ireland
Debtors' Prison Dublin is a former detention facility in the north inner city built from granite and limestone with a U-shaped design. The three-story structure sits over a vaulted basement and contained 33 cells throughout its layout.
Built in 1794, the facility imprisoned people unable to pay their debts until the amount was settled by themselves or others. This practice of debt imprisonment eventually declined as legal attitudes toward insolvency shifted.
The building reflects how debtor imprisonment was a tool tied directly to social class, with wealthier prisoners paying for better quarters while poorer ones faced cramped conditions. This arrangement reveals the economic assumptions of the era about poverty and debt.
The building sits between Halston Street and Green Street in Dublin's north inner city and is currently managed by the Office of Public Works. The location is accessible but situated in an older neighborhood, so knowing the exact address in advance helps with navigation.
After its prison days, the building took on entirely different roles including a police station and housing for families of police officers. These transformations show how the structure adapted over time to serve new purposes.
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