Native name: Inis Pic | |
|---|---|
 Gates of Fort Mitchel on Spike Island | |
  Spike Island Spike Island in Ireland | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Cork Harbour |
| Coordinates | 51°50′06″N 08°17′06″W / 51.83500°N 8.28500°W |
| Area | 0.41 km2 (0.16 sq mi) |
| Length | 0.8 km (0.5 mi) |
| Width | 0.5 km (0.31 mi) |
| Administration | |
| County | County Cork |
Spike Island (Irish: Inis Píc) is an island of 103 acres (42 ha)[1] in Cork Harbour, Ireland. Originally the site of a monastic settlement,[2][3] the island is dominated by an 18th-century bastion fort now named Fort Mitchel.
The island's strategic location within the harbour meant it was used at times for defence and as a prison. Since the early 21st century the island has been developed as a heritage tourist attraction,[4] with €5.5 million investment in exhibition and visitor spaces[5] and accompanying tourism marketing.[6] There were in excess of 81,000 visitors to the island during 2019, a 21% increase on 2018 numbers.[7][8] Spike Island was named top European tourist attraction at the 2017 World Travel Awards.[9]
- ^ "Hopes for Alcatraz-style tourism after handover of Cork's Spike Island". Irish Times. 29 July 2009.
- ^ "History - Island sanctuary". Spikeislandcork.ie. Archived from the original on 20 February 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
- ^ Coleman, James (1893). "The story of Spike Island (with note by G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilton)". Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society. 1. II. Cork Historical and Archaeological Society: 1–8.
- ^ "Plan to unlock potential of 'Ireland's Alcatraz'". Irish Independent. 29 July 2009.
- ^ "Spike Island opens to the public today and we look back at its darkest history". Irish Examiner. 4 June 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ Esther Hayden (2 July 2016). "Ancient East TV ad showcases beauty of Hook Head". Independent.ie. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ "Spike Island visitor numbers increased by 10,000 in 2019". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- ^ "Spike Island looks to reach next level with a number of projects planned for 2019". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
- ^ "Spike Island named Europe's top tourist attraction". Evening Echo. 30 September 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2017.