In this interview RTE’s Nationwide discuss the future for the Irish Alcatraz, which only reopened to visitors in 2016 following major reinvestment, and close to two centuries being off limits to the general public.
Spike Island has had a long association with writers. Several former residents have published books, while a number of other visitors have inspired them, including former prisoners. These published works range from the adventures of…
At a time when Spike Island was being carved up and commandeered for the defence of the British Empire, a curious thing happened. A child was born on this tiny island in the early 19th…
Escape from Spike Island prison seemed impossible, but that would not stop the daring. Prison escapes have long fascinated us, with incredibly popular movies like the Shawshank redemption and Escape from Alcatraz proving enduring hits.…
Spike Island opened as a prison for Irish Republican prisoners and internees in February 1921, while the Irish War of Independence raged and British Authorities was arresting more rebels than they could easily incarcerate. The…
The history of the largest military structure in Ireland… The first fortification on Spike Island arrived in 1779 while the American War of Independence raged. American vessels were capable of crossing the Atlantic and wreaking…
The Moon car and its association with Spike Island came after the turmoil of the Irish War of Independence. Ireland secured its freedom in a hard fought battle with Britain, but a bloody Civil War…
