Mountjoy Prison, Dublin: Ireland’s Biggest Prison – Visitor & Family Guide
Last reviewed: July 2026
“The Joy” is Ireland’s most famous prison, opened in 1850 on Dublin’s North Circular Road. Because many of our readers have family connections across both islands, this guide explains how Mountjoy works and – importantly – how different the Irish system is from the UK one.
Key facts at a glance
| Detail | Mountjoy Prison |
|---|---|
| Run by | Irish Prison Service (Republic of Ireland – not HMPPS) |
| Type | Closed, medium-security; main committal prison for Dublin |
| Who it holds | Adult men, remand and sentenced |
| Official capacity | 831 – but holding c.1,000+ men since March 2025 |
| Address | North Circular Road, Dublin 7, D07 YC97 |
| Visit requests | Online form, phone 01 885 8955 (10am–12pm, 2pm–4pm) or email – at least 48 hours ahead |
| Visit entitlement | Remand: one 15-min visit daily; sentenced: one 30-min visit weekly |
What kind of prison is Mountjoy?
Mountjoy is the main reception (“committal”) prison for Dublin city and county: men remanded or sentenced by Dublin courts generally go there first. The wider Mountjoy campus also includes the Dóchas Centre – a separate women’s prison – and the Training Unit; this page covers the main male prison. The Victorian radial design will look familiar to anyone who knows British prisons of the same era, though the cells were modernised in a major refurbishment completed in the 2010s, ending the practice of “slopping out”. For the wider Irish system, see our guide to prisons in Ireland.
Overcrowding: the defining issue
Ireland’s prison population has surged, and Mountjoy has borne much of it. In March 2025 the prison passed 1,000 male prisoners for the first time in its modern history, against an official capacity of 831. When the Office of the Inspector of Prisons made an unannounced follow-up visit in spring 2025, the prison stood at 122% of capacity with around 90 men sleeping on mattresses on cell floors; the inspection also found the prison school had been fully or partly closed dozens of times in the preceding months because staff were needed elsewhere. Reports are published by the Office of the Inspector of Prisons, Ireland’s equivalent of HM Inspectorate of Prisons.
Visiting Mountjoy
Visits must be requested in advance – at least 48 hours before – and are only confirmed by email. You can request online through the Irish Prison Service visit form, by phone on 01 885 8955 (daily, 10am–12pm and 2pm–4pm), or by email to the prison’s booked-visits address. Visiting days are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with sessions morning and afternoon. Men on remand may receive one 15-minute visit each day; sentenced men one 30-minute visit a week. Each prisoner nominates up to six adult visitors, and photo ID is required at the gate. The prison is in Phibsborough, opposite the Mater Hospital, about 25 minutes’ walk from O’Connell Street with frequent buses along the North Circular Road.
• “I can book through GOV.UK or use UK prisoner-location services.” No – Mountjoy is in the Republic of Ireland. Everything goes through the Irish Prison Service.
• “Mountjoy holds women too.” Women are held at the separate Dóchas Centre on the same campus – it has its own visiting arrangements.
• “A visit request is a confirmed visit.” Only the confirmation email confirms your slot – do not travel without it.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mountjoy a UK prison?
No. It is run by the Irish Prison Service in the Republic of Ireland. UK rules on visits, money and release do not apply.
How do prisoners keep in touch?
Through phone calls to approved numbers, letters, and physical or video visits. Irish prisons also allow families to lodge money for prisoners – check current methods with the prison on 01 806 2800.
Why is Mountjoy so crowded?
Ireland’s whole closed estate has been at or above capacity since early 2025. As Dublin’s committal prison, Mountjoy takes arrivals regardless of space, which is why mattresses on floors have become common.
What is the Dóchas Centre?
The women’s prison on the Mountjoy campus. It is a separate establishment with its own regime and visiting system.
Sources: Irish Prison Service – Mountjoy Prison; Office of the Inspector of Prisons; Irish Times reporting, March 2025.
