John Crotty – Author

Fort Mitchel, Spike Island– making a military monster

Fort Mitchel, Spike Island– making a military monster
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… View Post

The 1938 Spike Island handover from a reluctant Britain to Ireland.

The 1938 Spike Island handover from a reluctant Britain to Ireland.
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… View Post

The first prison on Ireland’s Alcatraz? Oliver Cromwell in Ireland and Spike Island Cork.

The first prison on Ireland’s Alcatraz? Oliver Cromwell in Ireland and Spike Island Cork.
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… View Post

The ghosts and paranormal activity of Spike Island…

The ghosts and paranormal activity of Spike Island…
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… View Post

Spike Island emergence – The natural formation of Ireland’s historic island

Spike Island emergence – The natural formation of Ireland’s historic island
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… View Post

The missing monastery of Spike Island Cork

The missing monastery of Spike Island Cork
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… View Post

The Englishman who loved Ireland – General Charles Vallancey

The Englishman who loved Ireland – General Charles Vallancey
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… View Post