How To Visit Crumlin Road Gaol (Jail)
The Crumlin Road Gaol is one of the most interesting and fascinating places to visit in Belfast - full of history, horror and intrigue!
In this article, we provide a comprehensive round-up of everything you need to know about visiting the famous Northern Irish attraction.
We outline exactly how to visit Crumlin Road Gaol and provide you with helpful information, including opening times and how much time you should estimate to spend at the Jail.
On top of that, we also outline how you can save money by buying your tickets for the Crumlin Road Gaol online before you visit.
So, let’s dive into: How to visit Crumlin Road Gaol
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Useful information about Crumlin Road Gaol
Address: Crumlin Road Gaol, 53-55 Crumlin Road, Belfast, BT14 6ST
Website: www.crumlinroadgaol.com
Phone number: 028 9074 1500
Email: [email protected]
What is Crumlin Road Gaol?
The Crumlin Road Gaol is a grade-one listed 19th Century Prison that is now open to the public and used as a concert and events venue throughout the year.
Crumlin Road Gaol was built in 1845 and ceased serving as an active prison in 1996.
Known locally as ‘The Crum’, the Jail housed many political prisoners during the Troubles and was even the scene of an IRA bomb that killed 2 loyalist prisoners in 1991.
Once the prison closed its doors in 1996, it remained derelict until 2010, when plans were commenced to rebuild it as a tourist attraction. To give it its official title, Crumlin Road Gaol Visitor Attraction and Conference Centre opened in 2012 and was even visited by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2014.
Crumlin Road Gaol - Iron Gates
Where is Crumlin Road Gaol?
Crumlin Road Gaol is 1.7km (1 mile) from Belfast City Centre, along the famous Crumlin Road. The road runs for 4 miles in North-West Belfast and was the scene of many murders and attacks during the Northern Ireland Troubles.
How to get to Crumlin Road Gaol?
A few options exist for getting to Crumlin Road Gaol from Belfast city centre. Here is a quick rundown of the easiest suggestions:
Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour - a popular way to get to the Crumlin Road Gaol is to jump on the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus that takes you around Belfast. As the name suggests, the bus stops at all the major attractions around Belfast, including directly outside of the Crumlin Road Gaol.
Public Bus - Translink bus service 12b stops close to Crumlin Road Gaol (get off at the Agnes Street Stop) and provides several services throughout the day, each day of the week. You can pay via contactless on the bus. For a full breakdown of the 12b bus timetable, click here.
Car - Crumlin Road Gaol is only 1.7km from Belfast City Centre, along the A12 and Crumlin Road, respectively. There is free on-site parking, which is open daily from 8 am - 6 pm. Drive past the jail, and the free parking is on the right-hand side (when driving from the city centre), just past the petrol station.
Taxi - a taxi to Crumlin Road Gaol from the centre of Belfast will likely take less than 10 minutes and is an easy and stress-free way to visit the Jail.
When does Crumlin Road Gaol open?
The Crumlin Road Gaol Experience is open 7 days a week. It opens at 10:30 am and the last entry is 3 pm (Sun-Sat September to March; Sun-Thu April to August) or 4:30 pm (Fri-Sat April to August).
As you can see, the closing times differ throughout the year, so it is best to plan to arrive by 2.30 pm at the latest so you avoid missing out.
Crumlin Road Gaol - C Wing
How much does it cost to visit Crumlin Road Gaol?
There are a few different admission fees for the Crumlin Road Gaol, but it is worth noting that it is always cheaper to buy your Crumlin Road Gaol tickets online prior to arriving.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how much tickets to the jail cost:
Adults - £15.00 at the door or £14.50 online
Children (5-15yo) - £8.50 at the door or £8.00 online
Concession (60+ or students) - £13.00
Family (2 adults and 2 children) - £45.00
Can you do a guided tour of Crumlin Road Gaol?
All tickets to the Crumlin Road Gaol are self-guided tickets, meaning you walk around the jail and exhibit of your free will. Having said this, it is possible to take a guided tour of the Gaol, but you can’t book these in advance online.
Instead, simply book your original ticket online, and when you arrive at the jail, ask if there is a guided tour available on that day.
To be honest, the interactive exhibits really make it an immersive experience, with cleverly timed holographic guides highlighting the main features of the jail, so a real-life tour guide isn’t necessary.
How long do you need to spend at Crumlin Road Gaol?
The actual Crumlin Road Gaol site isn’t overwhelmingly large, so we recommend spending between 1.5-2.0 hours at the Jail, depending on how much information you like to consume when visiting historical sites.
In general, though, around 2 hours should be plenty of time to explore Crumlin Road Gaol.
Money-saving tip: remember to buy your tickets online to avoid paying extra when you arrive at Crumlin Road Gaol.
Ben being locked up at Crumlin Road Gaol
Frequently asked questions about the Crumlin Road Gaol
Was Crumlin Road Gaol Catholic or Protestant?
The Crumlin Road Gaol was located on Crumlin Road, an interface area home to Catholics and Protestants throughout the Troubles.
As such, Crumlin Road Gaol housed both Catholic and Protestant prisoners throughout its life as an active prison, though each faction was, of course, found on separate wings throughout the prison.
How many people were executed at Crumlin Road Gaol?
In total, 17 men were executed/hanged at Crumlin Road Gaol. During a visit to the jail, you will be able to enter the condemned man’s cell before seeing the official execution cell, where the majority of the 17 men were executed. 15 of the executed men are still buried in the grounds of the prison and you can visit their gravesite during your visit.
When is the best time to visit Crumlin Road Gaol?
We recommend visiting the jail as early as possible as the crowds tend to be much larger in the afternoons and evenings. So try to arrive directly for opening at 10:30 am to avoid the crowds and get the best possible experience.
What do you see during a visit to Crumlin Road Gaol?
During a visit to the Crumlin Road Gaol, you can wander around the jail of your own free will on a self-guided tour. Specific highlights of the experience include:
Entering the tunnel that connected the courthouse across the road to the Prison
The Condemned Man’s Cell, where men were executed
Exercise Yard and Grave Site
Fan-shaped Prison wings
Underground tunnel connecting Crumlin Road Gaol and the Courthouse across the road
There we have it, folks, our conclusive round-up of everything you need to know about visiting the Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast. The jail remains one of Belfast’s most notable tourist attractions, and we hope this article has helped you to plan your visit to Crumlin Road Gaol.
