--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She knew where they were going. She had…" description: "\"“She knew where they were going. She had visited Kilmainham Gaol before, wrapped in its brooding walls lest the ghosts it housed should break free and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/peter-murphy-24283_break-free_she-knew-where-they-were-going-she-had-v_1824482.jpg" --- # She knew where they were going. She had visited Kilmainham… ![“She knew where they were going. She had visited Kilmainham Gaol before, wrapped in its brooding walls lest the ghosts it housed should break free and point accusing fingers at those who used the reins of power to drive the horses of personal ambition. It was a sad place where the residue of human…” quote by Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/peter-murphy-24283_break-free_she-knew-where-they-were-going-she-had-v_1824482.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/peter-murphy-24283_break-free_she-knew-where-they-were-going-she-had-v_1824482.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/peter-murphy-24283_break-free_she-knew-where-they-were-going-she-had-v_1824482.jpg) > ““She knew where they were going. She had visited Kilmainham Gaol before, wrapped in its brooding walls lest the ghosts it housed should break free and point accusing fingers at those who used the reins of power to drive the horses of personal ambition. It was a sad place where the residue of human suffering lingered – it had no place else to go.”” [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A narrator reflects on a grim prison, symbolizing how power and ambition trap souls, leaving suffering lingering where it cannot escape. **In simple terms:** Power and ambition imprison souls, leaving lingering suffering. Key Takeaway Recognize how ambition can imprison you. Themes power ambition human suffering history memory Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - writing about injustice - exploring historical sites Key Concepts existentialism psychology historical trauma Questions to Reflect On - How does personal ambition affect others? - What can be done to heal lingering suffering? A Different Perspective The metaphor may be too abstract for concrete action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Break free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-free/) [Gaol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaol-1502193/) [Gaol Wrapped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaol-wrapped-2221327/) [Human suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-suffering/) [Kilmainham Gaol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kilmainham-gaol-2221325/) [Knew Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-going/) [Visited Kilmainham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visited-kilmainham-2221326/) ## Related quotes > [“You have brought your own ideas with you into the gaol,’ Miss Haxby said, after a moment. ‘But our ways at Millbank—as you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-waters/you-have-brought-your-own-ideas-with-you-into-the-gaol-miss-haxby/) [Sarah Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-waters/) > [“regret that the court did not come to a different conclusion,” he said a bit stuffily. “Three months in gaol and 150,000 kronor damages.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stieg-larsson/regret-that-the-court-did-not-come-to-a-different-conclusion-he-said/) [Stieg Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stieg-larsson/) > [In writing a little tragedy, 'The Gaol Gate,' I made the scenario in three lines, 'He is an informer; he is dead; he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gregory/in-writing-a-little-tragedy-the-gaol-gate-i-made-the-scenario-in/) [Lady Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gregory/) > [When I was a child and came with my elders to Galway for their salmon fishing in the river that rushes past the gaol,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gregory/when-i-was-a-child-and-came-with-my-elders-to-galway-for-their-salmon/) [Lady Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gregory/) > [A ship is worse than a gaol. There is, in a gaol, better air, better company, better conveniency of every kind; and a ship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/a-ship-is-worse-than-a-gaol-there-is-in-a-gaol-better-air-better/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“There was a prisoner, I said, in the first cell of the second passage. A fair-haired girl, quite young, quite handsome. What did Miss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-waters/there-was-a-prisoner-i-said-in-the-first-cell-of-the-second-passage-a/) [Sarah Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-waters/) > [“We know not whether laws be right Or whether laws be wrong All we know who lie in gaol Is that the walls are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/we-know-not-whether-laws-be-right-or-whether-laws-be-wrong-all-we/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Now, before you begin to worry, the section of the gaol that I’m standing in is completely secure. No problems here. I’m not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/now-before-you-begin-to-worry-the-section-of-the-gaol-that-i-m/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [“Don't you believe it. I'll tell you what life is. It's gaol, it's not knowing where to get some money. Worms and cataract, cancer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/don-t-you-believe-it-i-ll-tell-you-what-life-is-it-s-gaol-it-s-not/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [By the time I was about 15, I was out playing gigs and knew I was going to be a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/by-the-time-i-was-about-15-i-was-out-playing-gigs-and-knew-i-was/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [I was in fittings for the first costume even before I knew I was even going to be 'Deathlok.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-august-richards/i-was-in-fittings-for-the-first-costume-even-before-i-knew-i-was-even/) [J. August Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-august-richards/) > [I knew I was going to have to work my way back to coaching in the States, and I had a job offer here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/i-knew-i-was-going-to-have-to-work-my-way-back-to-coaching-in-the/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [It amazes me when I hear people say, 'I want to go out and find out who I am.' I always knew who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/it-amazes-me-when-i-hear-people-say-i-want-to-go-out-and-find-out-who/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [I knew I was going to go into the field and make fun of people to their faces. I knew what I was getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-knew-i-was-going-to-go-into-the-field-and-make-fun-of-people-to/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [What about you three, where are you going?" Even before Halt answered, Will knew what he was going to say. But that didn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/what-about-you-three-where-are-you-going-even-before-halt-answered/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) ## More by Peter Murphy > [“His voice evoked the ghosts of those who had paid that price and died horribly. They hovered in the shadows muttering vengeance, but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/his-voice-evoked-the-ghosts-of-those-who-had-paid-that-price-and-died/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [The unfulfilling job is not the failure; not pursuing your dreams is the real failure. Developing a vision requires conquering your fears and finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/the-unfulfilling-job-is-not-the-failure-not-pursuing-your-dreams-is/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [Nico was gothic, but she was Mary Shelley gothic to everyone else's Hammer horror film gothic. They both did Frankenstein, but Nico's was real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/nico-was-gothic-but-she-was-mary-shelley-gothic-to-everyone-else-s/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [“Shadows gathered as they had done for eons, beneath the moon and the twinkling of a million stars, like a gathering of forgotten deities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/shadows-gathered-as-they-had-done-for-eons-beneath-the-moon-and-the/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [“Another brave new world beckoned, but Dublin was dubious – too often hope had been trampled down by foreign armies or strangled in dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/another-brave-new-world-beckoned-but-dublin-was-dubious-too-often/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [The goths are beautiful, a vast depth of subcultural, aesthetic and poetic ideas, and we would identify with that as we did back in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/the-goths-are-beautiful-a-vast-depth-of-subcultural-aesthetic-and/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [“Some good things did come out of France, but the place has become unbearably Gaulish don’t you think?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/some-good-things-did-come-out-of-france-but-the-place-has-become/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [“Words that had looked so strong on the page, which ran through his mind like music, now shriveled in the air around him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/words-that-had-looked-so-strong-on-the-page-which-ran-through-his/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [“My mother always said that I would come to a bad end but I never thought she meant this - writing allegory in literal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/my-mother-always-said-that-i-would-come-to-a-bad-end-but-i-never/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [“They were still in that forgiving time when even their flaws were quaint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/they-were-still-in-that-forgiving-time-when-even-their-flaws-were/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [“We have had a spot of bother. I am afraid that I shot the Bard in the bottom. Good thing that I was over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/we-have-had-a-spot-of-bother-i-am-afraid-that-i-shot-the-bard-in-the/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [“Is "to-read" the new "I'll-call-you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/is-to-read-the-new-i-ll-call-you/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [Rewriting is like scrubbing the basement floor with a toothbrush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/rewriting-is-like-scrubbing-the-basement-floor-with-a-toothbrush/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [ \[S\]ince there is no wrong or right, you just reap what you sow. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/s-ince-there-is-no-wrong-or-right-you-just-reap-what-you-sow/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) > [“I think you should be grateful to the English, they built this country and made it civil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/i-think-you-should-be-grateful-to-the-english-they-built-this-country/) [Peter Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) [Explore all 24 Peter Murphy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/) ## More Break free quotes > [I think being on a TV show is amazing but also, people get kind of used to seeing you a certain way and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/i-think-being-on-a-tv-show-is-amazing-but-also-people-get-kind-of/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [“..:Intimidation keeps us from enjoying life to its fullest. Procrastination keeps us from developing our skills. Fear paralizes us and keeps us from trying.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-garcia/intimidation-keeps-us-from-enjoying-life-to-its-fullest/) [Rafael Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-garcia/) > [Release your majestic mind, embrace your untamed inner spirit. Break free from captivity, avoid society.. You were born to be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-muller/release-your-majestic-mind-embrace-your-untamed-inner-spirit-break/) [Melanie Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-muller/) > [People in both parties are restless for change, ready to break free of old patterns in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/people-in-both-parties-are-restless-for-change-ready-to-break-free-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [“Poetry is the yearning of the soul to break free!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/poetry-is-the-yearning-of-the-soul-to-break-free/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [I've never forgotten what it's like to be in your early twenties, which is not a particularly easy time. You've left your family, you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-leigh/i-ve-never-forgotten-what-it-s-like-to-be-in-your-early-twenties/) [Julia Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-leigh/) > [You break free when you feel neither beneath anyone nor superior to anyone, when you shed the need to control other people, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/you-break-free-when-you-feel-neither-beneath-anyone-nor-superior-to/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The real power of the Buddha was that he had so much love. He saw people trapped in their notions of small separate self,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/the-real-power-of-the-buddha-was-that-he-had-so-much-love-he-saw/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [There is no other way the world is going to see the supreme glory of Christ today, except that we break free from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/there-is-no-other-way-the-world-is-going-to-see-the-supreme-glory-of/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [In racing, they say that your car goes where your eyes go. The driver who cannot tear his eyes away from the wall as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-stein/in-racing-they-say-that-your-car-goes-where-your-eyes-go-the-driver/) [Garth Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-stein/) > [“The truth is that I want you. I have always wanted you, and you know that.” “I hate that word,” she burst out, trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/the-truth-is-that-i-want-you-i-have-always-wanted-you-and-you-know/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“They saw the ordered concrete and steel of postwar United States showing stress fractures and were determined to bring it down and break free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-hickman/they-saw-the-ordered-concrete-and-steel-of-postwar-united-states/) [Tracy Hickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-hickman/) > [“Some live Life strictly, following each and every rule rigidly. They go by the Book and get stuck by the Hook. Break free today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/some-live-life-strictly-following-each-and-every-rule-rigidly-they-go/) [RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rvm/) > [“There is great change to be experienced once you learn the power of letting go. Stop allowing anyone or anything to control, limit, repress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/there-is-great-change-to-be-experienced-once-you-learn-the-power-of/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [What you learn about yourself is that you continue to see that you're selfish. It's so easy, in our Laodicean culture with all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-kampman/what-you-learn-about-yourself-is-that-you-continue-to-see-that-you-re/) [Aaron Kampman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-kampman/) [Browse all 289 Break free quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-free/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She knew where they were going. She had visited Kilmainham Gaol before, wrapped in its brooding walls lest the ghosts it housed should break free and point accusing fingers at those who used the reins of power to drive the horses of personal ambition. It was a sad place where the residue of human suffering lingered – it had no place else to go.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Murphy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/she-knew-where-they-were-going-she-had-visited-kilmainham-gaol-before/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Break free" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/she-knew-where-they-were-going-she-had-visited-kilmainham-gaol-before/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/peter-murphy-24283_break-free_she-knew-where-they-were-going-she-had-v_1824482.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/peter-murphy-24283_break-free_she-knew-where-they-were-going-she-had-v_1824482.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/peter-murphy-24283_break-free_she-knew-where-they-were-going-she-had-v_1824482.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“She knew where they were going. She had visited Kilmainham Gaol before, wrapped in its brooding walls lest…” — Peter Murphy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Peter Murphy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-murphy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“She knew where they were going....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/she-knew-where-they-were-going-she-had-visited-kilmainham-gaol-before/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-murphy/she-knew-where-they-were-going-she-had-visited-kilmainham-gaol-before/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```