Ireland won a hard fought freedom for 26 counties in 1921, as an Empire was brought to the negotiating table by brave Republicans following a bloody War of Independence. Spike Island, which had been occupied…
The name Oliver Cromwell impacts an Irish ear with a forceful thud. In a nation full of easy going individuals, there are few quicker ways to set pulses racing than to mention his name. If…
Spike Island Cork is an unparalleled repository of Irish history. Nowhere else on Irish soil and very few sites globally can claim the same depth and breadth of historical endeavour. Fewer sites still are fortunate…
Choosing a point from which to start the story of an island like Spike Island is as difficult as choosing a starting point for the tale of humanity itself. From its very creation, the island…
In 18th century Ireland, Britain was a brutal oppressor. The penal laws of 1695 stripped the native Catholic population of many of their basic rights, from land ownership to voting entitlement. War and famine were…
Spike Island Cork is famous for its use as a prison and military island, with its first prison appearing as early as the mid-1600’s. Three more jails followed across the next four centuries, one of…
