Spike Island (Ireland)
| Spike Island | ||
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| Waters | Celtic sea | |
| Geographical location | 51 ° 50 ′ 5 " N , 8 ° 17 ′ 11" W | |
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| length | 800 m | |
| width | 500 m | |
| surface | 41 ha | |
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Spike Island ( Irish : Inis Píc ) is a 103 acre island at the entrance to Cork Bay in County Cork , in the southwest of the Republic of Ireland . Originally the island was used as a monastery. Due to its strategic location, a fort was built on the island in the 18th century to protect Cork . The Sternfort was later used as a prison or reformatory and is now a local tourist attraction.
history
In the 7th century a monastery was founded on the island , later Spike served as a refuge for smugglers.
Its strategic location at the entrance to the port of Cork was particularly evident in the brutal subjugation of Ireland by Oliver Cromwell as part of the Glorious Revolution . In 1779 the island was finally bought up by the English government and Charles Vallancey built Fort Westmoreland here, fortified with casemate guns .
The fort later served as a prison or a stopover for convicted criminals who were to be brought to penal colonies. Due to its location in the Bay of Cork, the island was soon named "Irish Alcatraz ".
The fort was used as a garrison and prison during the Irish War of Independence . The IRA fighter Richard Barrett (1889–1922) was interned here, but he was able to flee Spike in 1921. According to the Anglo-Irish Treaty , the island was part of the Treaty Port of Cork until 1938 . In the course of the transfer to the Irish state, the fort was named after the Irish freedom fighter John Mitchel (1815-1875).
However , Spike would maintain its status as a prison island and military base until 2004. When the prison was closed, the civilian population also left the island and settled primarily in nearby Cobh .
tourism
In 2006 the Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell announced the possible reopening of the prison complex. A year later, however, after careful examination, it was decided to use the fort as a museum. For this, Spike was given to the Cork County Council, with whose approval guided tours can be organized on the island today. Today the fort's casemates, the prison and the former reformatory can be visited.
proof
- ↑ Irish Independent - Plan to unlock potential of 'Ireland's Alcatraz' - July 29, 2009
- ↑ BreakingNews.ie - Spike Island to become tourist attraction - July 28, 2009
