Brendan O'Friel

Spike Island is situated in Cork Harbour to the south west of Ireland. It is just over 200 acres and provides an obvious place for fortification to defend Cork harbour against enemy attack. The military began to construct fortifications there from at least the sixteenth century but to a much greater extent from the eighteenth.

In the nineteenth century, convicts awaiting transportation were collected in “hulks” – old warships - moored in Cork Harbour. It was only in 1847 that prisoners began arriving on Spike Island, using part of the military infrastructure as living accommodation. The prison was to accommodate some 2000 men for much of its existence – it closed in 1883 following critical reports from two Royal Commissions. This was a far greater number than the other Irish prisons or the larger English prisons.

The military retained a presence on Spike Island so there was considerable scope for conflicting interests between the prison and military authorities.

Decisions were taken to develop a naval dockyard within Cork Harbour at Haulbowline, close to Spike Island. The convict population was intended to provide the work force for building the new facilities. This mirrors the use of convict labour from Portland prison in Dorset to work on the Weymouth naval base.

The opening of Spike Island was shortly after the Irish Great Famine. This is reflected in the poor health of many of the convicts and complaints from the authorities about the work force. Spike Island was not a healthy place especially in the winter as it was battered by south westerly gales so it was not a place for the starving Irish convicts to recover.

This account of Spike Island convict prison provides an insight into the lives of prisoners and staff. It gives details of some of the more newsworthy clashes between individuals – few of which will surprise readers of the RGN.

The Governors of Spike Island were few – and one Peter Hay served there from 1855 until 1883 when he moved to Mountjoy in Dublin. The authors describe Peter Hay as “the most successful and reforming” Governor.

In the twentieth century the military transferred responsibility for Spike Island to the Irish Prison Service and for some 20 years around 200 prisoners were accommodated there – the prison being retitled “Fort Mitchell”.

Today Spike Island is a tourist attraction with an adult entrance fee – including ferry ticket - of some £25.

REVIEWED BY BRENDAN O’FRIEL

Brendan O'Friel