John Crotty – Author

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

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