Spike Island: Ireland's Alcatraz!!!

We returned to Cobh to take the ferry to Spike Island!  Also called Ireland's Alcatraz, this jail sits on an island out in the middle of Cobh's harbor.  Now this is a place I would definitely NOT want to be in after dark!  One of the guides told us Ghost Hunters International visited here a few months ago and said Spike Island was full of  ghosts and "other-wordly" activity!

Regardless (and I believe them!), Spike Island is a fascinating!  Throughout its history it has been a fort, a military base, and a jail.  Many people were jailed here during the Potato Famine due to "crimes of hunger", as our guide termed it.  People were jailed and given hefty sentences for crimes such as stealing fruit or chickens, even children as young as 10 years old!  The conditions in the jail were horrible and due to these many crimes of hunger, the jail cells were overcrowded.  Please visit http://www.spikeislandcork.ie and read about it!

Spike Island sits out in the middle of the Cobh Harbor; this is a view from the ferry

Aerial view of Spike Island

A view from the ferry

This is where the British stored grain and wheat to be exported out of Ireland.  They put it here on this island so the poverty stricken population in the city would not be able to raid it or get to it.

A view from the ferry as we approached Spike Island

This is an abandoned house on Spike Island. Families of the men who worked at the jail lived on the island.  They had to evacuate after a riot in 1984.

A view of the front of the jail/fort as you enter

He scared me! I'll admit it!  Afterwards we took pictures with them!

Building C, one of the abandoned prisoner units

Building A, this was destroyed and abandoned after the prisoner riot in 1984

Mrs. Jones took plenty of pictures that we will show to everyone!

A close-up of Building C

This is my new friend Jack!  He was helping out at Spike Island!  He is going to the seventh grade and he showed up plenty of magic tricks!

A close-up view of one of the cells in Building A from the outside.

The courtyard

This is the old school house on Spike Island.  The children that lived on the island had to also go to school on the island.

A picture of a classroom from the school that is now abandoned

Side view of Building A

This is another view of the courtyard.  This building actually houses a min-museum