Last Friday, the Irish Prison Service celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the opening of Loughan House Open Centre in Co Cavan.
And to mark the occasion, a willow sculpture was crafted and erected by the prisoners which depicts 'An Bonnan Buí' or the Yellow Bittern - the name of the Loughan House Social Enterprise initiative.
Governor Mark Leydon said the facility has been part of the west Cavan community for half a century.
He added it was one of just two open prison systems in Ireland and within that, prisoners are "treated as humans".
Mr Leydon said it's a system that works very well when it comes to rehabilitating prisoners.
"We don't get to select who comes to us; that is done through a review process in the closed prisons," he continued.
"But those that come have got to have engaged with the services.
"We get good prisoners and when they get here we strive to give them the skills to successfully reintegrate into their communities and then back into their families.
"Part of that is through temporary release programmes which helps to soften the reintegration back into the family unit."
