Nenagh Heritage Centre

About the museum

Nenagh Heritage Centre occupies the Governor's House and the gatehouse of the former county gaol in Nenagh. The gaol was built in Georgian style between 1840 and 1842 and held thousands of prisoners until it closed in 1887. Between 1842 and 1858, seventeen men from Tipperary were executed here, and the gatehouse was where those sentenced to death were held and hanged in public. Only one cell block of the old prison survives intact.

The museum in the Governor's House presents the history of the gaol, the Nenagh area and local life. Guided tours explain the social history of the period and tell the stories of some of the prisoners, and they give an idea of living conditions in rural Ireland at the time. The centre also hosts the North Tipperary genealogy service.

The nearby keep of Nenagh Castle, a circular Norman tower of more than 30 metres, is a separate visit run by Tipperary County Council.

Highlights

• Museum in the Governor's House of the old Nenagh gaol
• Guided tours with stories of the prisoners
• Local and social history of North Tipperary
• North Tipperary genealogy service

Permanent exhibition

• Nenagh gaol and local history museum – Displays in the Governor’s House on the history of the gaol, the Nenagh area and local life, with guided tours of the gaol buildings.

Operated by

Tipperary County Council

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Discover Ireland lists the centre as free to visit.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Getting there & parking

The centre is on Kickham Street in the centre of Nenagh. Nenagh Castle and the 1843 courthouse on Banba Square are close by.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit